"Well, I did come here to see Jasper," Alice admits. "It's been...hard...without him." It's a sizable understatement. Being without Jasper had made her regret being unable to cry herself to sleep, because just crying hadn't done a thing but upset everyone else. She'd known he would survive and that he would come back to them, but that hadn't stopped her from knowing what he was going through to get there.

Some of that might be visible on her very readable face before she pushes it all away and summons another smile for Natasha. "But I came here when I knew he'd be gone so I could see you. You don't mind, do you? Patience was never my strongest suit, and I just...I wanted to know. I wanted to know you. Are you really going to stay?"