I really wanted to randomly write this chapter from Alice's perspective. It explains (I think) what she was thinking and what happens after Jasper runs off.

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He was going to ask her to marry him. Alice froze, allowing the sweater she was holding to drop to the floor. She could see it clearly. They were sitting in their bed, Jasper handed her a small black box, she opened it and looked inside…

"Ma'am?" The sales clerk said, gently taking her arm and shaking her slightly. Her attention snapped back to the room she was in. "Are you alright?" he questioned.

"Oh, I'm fine, sorry," she muttered, quickly collecting her things and rushing out of the store.

If there was one thing Alice was afraid of it was commitment. All the normal things to fear: death, pain, heights…none of those things affected her. She was a vampire. None of the human fears meant anything to her. She was grateful for this, of course, but it was horrible, this fear of anything permanent. In this case, she loved Jasper, with her whole heart. She adored him, would die for him if she could, but the thought of not having the choice of leaving him terrified her. What if something did happen, and they were married, and they needed to be separated. She would feel horrible breaking Jasper like that. Wouldn't it be much easier to leave when they didn't have some sort of special bond? But it wasn't like they didn't have one already. They were mates. Whoever the fates are decided they'd be together forever and they were going to be. They completed each other. They were lovers, protectors, best friends…everything. They were each other's worlds…but she just couldn't do it. Marriage was something that, even as a human, she found troubling. She never dreamed of the perfect wedding when she was a child – at least not that she could remember. She'd much rather be a free spirit her whole life. Of course, this was before she met Jasper, and that changed everything…

The internal conflict was far too much for her. She shook her head as to push the thoughts from her. She would say yes. She had to. She couldn't hurt Jasper by saying no. He would be happy and so would she. He always made her happy. She would get to plan the perfect wedding and they'd go on the perfect honeymoon. They fit perfectly together, physically, emotionally – in every way. She pictured him now – his face, his body, recalled his personality and the sound of his voice. These thoughts usually gave her comfort, but now she felt nothing but fear. She couldn't bear to hurt him.

The house was in view now. She had to come up with a plan. One thing was for sure, she couldn't let Jasper know she had doubts. She'd have to keep her mind completely blank, her emotions completely erased, everything about her had to be hidden if she was going to protect him. She would say yes. She had to say yes.

No one was in the living room. Alice made her way straight through to the kitchen. Esme was there. Alice nearly broke down when she saw her, but, remembering Jasper, she held up. "Hello, Esme," she said pleasantly as she skipped into the room, dropping her bag of clothing onto the counter.

"Hello, Alice," Esme smiled widely at her surrogate daughter. She couldn't help herself.

"Have you seen Jasper?" she asked as calmly as possible.

"I think he's upstairs, Dear."

Alice nodded to her and grabbed her bags, and started upstairs. She had to face this now. I'll be happy with Jasper. She thought. We were meant to be together. Stop being so foolish. She pushed the door open and entered their room. Jasper was lying on their bed, staring at the ceiling a stolid expression on his face. Alice took a deep breath.

"Hey, Babe," she said as she plopped the bags down on the dresser. She moved across the room, burying the feeling of dread deep in her gut, put on a smile, and pecked Jasper on the cheek. Before he could say anything, she was out the door and half way down the stairs again. She knew ignoring him wasn't the answer, but, as wrong as it sounded, she would do anything for the few extra minutes of 'freedom'.

She scurried back down into the living room which was full of people now. Rosalie and Emmett were snuggled close on the armchair. Rose flashed her a significant smile. Could she know? Carlisle through her his usual 'welcome home' grin as Esme cuddled closer to him. Tanya's nose was buried in a book. Edward's nose was buried in sheet music. She practically ran to the kitchen. No one was in there. She ran almost immediately to the table where her plans for Rose's wedding were spread out. Designs of dresses and colour swatches were everywhere. She sat down, grabbing a pencil and her pad of paper, and was all set to work, but the theme so completely turned her off that all she could do was stare at it.

"Alice?"

Her insides froze. She quickly pushed it off as excitement and listened carefully to what else he had to say.

"Do you think I could speak to you upstairs for a moment?"

"Sure, Sweetie." Alice hopped out of her chair and took a deep breath. Looking at the papers on the table, she tried to picture herself in a beautiful wedding dress, with Jasper dressed in his old military uniform, the two of them standing at the alter confessing their love for one another – the scene made her feel sick.

She calmly walked out of the kitchen, keeping her face completely still, and making her way up the stairs. She plopped herself on the bed, glancing at her bags and tried to concentrate on other things. Jasper entered and looked down to her, smiling. Alice couldn't take her eyes off him. He was so handsome. The look of him relaxed her a bit. He sat on the bed beside her speaking quietly, calmly, "Alice…I'm…sure you saw this coming well…" This was it. Soon, she'd be engaged. Engaged to the love of her life. Yes…remember say yes! He looked so nervous. She wanted to hold him so badly, but she just couldn't bring herself to do it. It was like…giving him false hope. What was wrong with her?

"Alice…" He pulled a tiny black box out of the pocket of his sweater. "I love you, and I know we're going to spend the rest of eternity with each other, and I wouldn't have it any other way so…would you…I mean…I think we should…make it…of- I think we sho- Maybe if we- Ahh…" He was so cute when he stuttered. But when she saw that black box…knew what was inside…she realized that this was just too much. She couldn't go through with it. No no no…you have to say yes! The guilt began to sink in. She would hurt him so much…

"I mean…I know it's cliché, but…I think we should get married." He opened the box and placed it in her hands. She couldn't look at it. She didn't want her decision to be based on material things. She held his gaze fairly well as she quietly snapped the box shut.

"Jasper," she said quietly. And then, she let go. She wanted to cry so badly. Why was he doing this to her? He knew she didn't deal well with commitment. Surely he knew she would crack under the pressure. Why couldn't she just say yes? Y-E-S. It wasn't that hard to say! YES!! Yes yes yes yes! I love you Jasper Whitlock. We are going to get married weather I like it or-

She stood up. Jasper looked crushed. She couldn't look at him anymore. She turned and jumped out the window, landing about thirty feet from the house. She took off running. It was snowing outside. The air was cold, but she couldn't feel it. After running for a few minutes, she stopped and fell to the ground, choking on her sobs. What was wrong with her? They could have talked it out at least! She could have explained…

No…she wasn't strong enough. She had no idea how to even start a conversation like that. And now Jasper was going to hate her for running away. She had to go back and apologize. There was no choice.

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He wouldn't forgive her. He would be angry. She told herself this over and over when deep down she knew that Jasper could never hate her. She would go back, say she was sorry, tell him why she ran away, and Jasper would take her in his arms again. That's all she wanted right now was for everything to go back to normal.

Alice snuck in the back door and walked through the kitchen. She peaked her head around the corner to see Jasper dropping the ring onto Rosalie's lap. She choked again. Her guilt was so strong her whole body hurt. "J-Jasper?" but she didn't hear her. He was already out the door.

She shook violently and dropped to her knees, burying her face in her knees.

"Alice, Sweetie, it's okay," Carlisle's comforting voice was in her ear and soon she was being lifted off the floor and carried like a baby into the kitchen where he sat her on counter. She continued to shake. "Alice, Alice, please. It's alright." She shook her head.

"No..no, no it's not. I-I got scared, Carlisle, I told him I wouldn't marry him. Why did I do that? Why was I so stupid-"

"Stop it now…" Carlisle pulled her into a big hug. She clung pitifully to his shirt, burying her face in his chest. "Jasper will forgive you. All you have to do is explain yourself. He loves you. He won't be upset."

"But you saw him he was upset he left and now he won't come back-" She was hysterical. Not even Carlisle's words could snap her out of it. She had just lost the love of her life, the meaning of her existence, because of a stupid insecurity.

Suddenly, she was being lifted out of Carlisle's arms and cradled in someone else's. The scent was familiar. Like roses and old books and fast cars – everything that made her happy. Jasper. She looked up to him with round, golden eyes. "Stop crying," he said softly. She threw her arms around his neck and held on for dear life.

"Oh, Jasper! I'm so sorry. I just got scared and…I just didn't like…"

"I know. You were uncomfortable with the thought of being tied down. I understand. It was wrong for me to push you. I'm sorry."

He was apologizing to her. She must be a terrible person. "Jasper, it's not that I don't want to stay with you forever, I do, I just…the idea of marriage…"

"I know…I know…"

He rested a hand on her head and gently pressed her to his chest. She fell silent then, rubbing her cheek against the velvety skin of his neck. "I'm sorry, Jasper. I'm just not…not ready." When would she be? She didn't know. But it was wonderful to know that Jasper would wait for her no matter what.