Sign Of The Times || Jasper Hale

chapter 103

A few weeks went by and Jasper and Alex mostly spent the time at the Spure house. She finally felt comfort in being there again and even started to clean up a little bit of stuff. Things that were Pietro's and probably wouldn't be used again. All his electronic devices for one.

Every day around noon, they would go to the Cullen house where Esme would provide a large lunch for Jacob, Renesmee, Alex and also Leah and Seth if they wanted too.

This time however, was different. It felt like everyone was on edge as Alex and Jasper walk in, holding hands and smiling widely. Well, Alex did.

"Tanya convinced lrina to come reconcile with us." Carlisle says as he enters the room and Alex raises an eyebrow as she looks around.

"It looks like she changed her mind." Edward replies and turns to Jasper and Alex. "Bella, Jacob and Renesmee were out when they saw Irina." Jasper nods but Alex still looks at him with raised eyebrows.

"Seeing Jacob must have been too much for her." Esme hums and most of them seem to agree.

"Wish I could have just spoken to her."

Carlisle shrugs as he smiles at Bella. "She's family. She'll come around." Edward starts playing the piano while Renesmee watches his fingers closely.

Lunch was short and awkward and everyone is gathered and listens to Edward play the piano with Renesmee.

Alice gasps and drops the vase of flowers she was carrying. Jasper gets up and rushes towards her immediately.

"What is it, Alice?"

"The Volturi." Her voice filled with anguish. "They're coming for us. Aro, Caius, Marcus, the Guard. And lrina."

"Honey, come here."

"Why?" Carlisle asks at the same time that Alex asks 'The Guard too?'

"What did lrina see in the woods?" Edward asks again, a little more urgent this time.

"We were just walking."

"Ness was catching snowflakes." Jacob adds.

"Of course." Edward sighs. "Irina thinks Renesmee's an lmmortal Child."

"Immortal Children?" Bella asks confused and Alex purses her lips.

"The lmmortal Children were very beautiful. So enchanting. To be near them was to love them. But their development was frozen at the age they were turned. They couldn't be taught or restrained. A single tantrum could destroy an entire village. Humans heard about the devastation. Stories spread. The Volturi were forced to intervene. Since the Children couldn't protect our secret, they had to be destroyed."

"Their creators grew very attached and fought to protect them. Long-established covens were torn apart. Countless humans slaughtered. Traditions, friends, even families. Lost."

"So the Denalis' mother made an lmmortal Child?"

"Yes. And she paid the price." Edward's head snaps towards Alex as she flinches at the memory of decapitating the mother and throwing her lifeless body in the fire. Her gaze turns towards Edward and she gives him a pleading look and he nods just ever so slightly.

"Well, Renesmee's nothing like those children. She was born, not bitten. She grows every single day."

"So can't you just explain that to the Volturi?" Edward shakes his head at Jacob's suggestion.

"Aro has enough proof in lrina's thoughts."

"So we fight." Emmett and Alex smirk at Jacob and nod their heads.

"Their offensive weapons are too powerful. No one can stand against Jane."

"Alec's even worse." Alice murmers and Alex feels a shiver going through her spine. Bad memories were coming back and she wanted to drown them. Preferably with alcohol.

"Well, then we convince them."

Emmett looks at Bella. "They're coming to kill us, not to talk."

"No, you're right." Edward agrees. "They won't listen to us. But maybe others can convince them. Carlisle, you have friends all around the world."

"I won't ask them to fight."

"Not fight. Witness. If enough people knew the truth, maybe we could convince the Volturi to listen." Esme turns to Carlisle.

"We can ask this of our friends." She smiles at Carlisle. "At least we get to go to London again. We haven't been there in a long time."

"All right. Let's get this show on the road." Jacob sighs and everyone goes on their way to pack their bags.

Jasper joins Alex at the Spure house after a few moments and he hugs her tightly.

"We're not going together, are we." It was more of a statement than a question and he softly sighs into her neck. "Alice?" He nods and they let go of one another.

"I can't let her go alone." Jasper mutters and Alex shakes her head. She knew that Alice could protect herself, but Alex felt better if Jasper was there to protect her. Whatever her mission was. Alex could protect herself just fine.

"And I can't leave them alone in good consciousness." Jasper smiles at her wryly.

"I don't know how long I'll be gone." Alex wipes away a tear and nods before hugging him close and just having a moment of being together once more.

"I know."

•

Jacob sees Sam walking up the house and Sam gives Carlisle a note.

"Alice asked me to give you that. She and Jasper crossed our lands to the ocean last night." Carlisle reads the note and looks at the others. They all seem to be looking at Alex some way who looks simply lost and had been unusually quiet when she came back to the Cullen house.

"Carlisle?" Esme softly asks.

"They've left us."

"Why?" Rosalie turns to Alex for answers but the latter simply shakes her head and shrugs.

"She didn't say."

Bella looks closer and walks towards Carlisle. "Can I see that?"

"Gather as many witnesses as you can before the snow sticks to the ground. That's when they'll come." Bella turns the note over and sees that it's a page torn from one of her books and simply shrugs. "I think that we still have to do what we set out to do."