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I knew I wanted to do this. I just didn't know how to go about it. Not even her feelings could reassure me in my actions. I knew she felt the same way, I just didn't know how she would take it.
We were in a remote part of Maine, and we had just recently detoured from our walk to take a rest; not that we needed it. We were on the coast, and I could smell the salt coming from the ocean, and I could feel her serenity radiating from her. I couldn't believe she was choosing to spend her time with me, and never would understand her reasoning. I could feel her emotions, but I couldn't read the thoughts behind them.
She had glided toward a small, salt washed bench. I sat and motioned for her to sit beside me, and she obliged. She had commenced to rest her head on my shoulder, and wrap one of her delicate hands around my waist, while the other held my right hand. In response, I wrapped my free arm around her waist in a protective fashion, and pulled her closer to me. I felt her serenity become a sort of calm; as if she felt protected. I felt my confidence renewed, that somehow she wouldn't leave me if I tried.
But surely she must have seen by now. Could the change in emotion be deliberate? A way to calm me so I could follow through with the events she'd seen who knows how long ago? Deliberate or not, I knew I had to try, even if she had seen. Yet my anxiety was quickly building, and it was very difficult not to emit my own emotions.
"Alice?" I said. It came out as a whisper, yet no one was around to hear. I felt her head move up to show me she was listening. Her emotions had changed to ones of calm while I was in thought, and she murmured a soft "Yes, Jasper?"
"I love you, you know that, right?" I breathed. And I felt her shift so that both of her delicate hands were now grasping one of mine. And her emotions changed yet again into those of peacefulness.
"Of course I do. I love you too." She whispered. And I felt her bring my hand to her face, and open it so that my palm was resting against her pale cheek.
"I just wanted to make sure." And instantly her mood changed to one of concern, she was suspecting something. Could she have just seen it? And she pulled away to look into my surely golden brown eyes
"I'll always love you, never doubt that." She breathed, and as she said so she lowered my hand from her face, and let it rest in her hands, which were now in her lap.
"That's all I needed to hear." I said as I cupped her ivory face in my hand, while my other grasped her petite waist.
And her emotions took yet another turn, changing into half anticipation and half anxiety, and part worry. And her eyes held the worry, as if I was going to leave her. And it pained me to see my angel in such distress.
"No, no! Don't worry, it's nothing bad, quite the opposite. And I'm hoping it'll stop your worry." I gave her a warm smile, and her anxiety and worry receded the slightest bit, yet her eyes still held much of the latter. It seemed as if her anticipation level had risen. And I brought her small frame closer to me in reassurance.
"No, I was wondering, Alice, if you," I stopped to take a deep breath, simply out of habit. And I felt her push away from me, and look into my quickly darkening eyes. And I felt her confusion take over. Was it possible she hadn't seen this? I continued my unfinished sentence.
"If you would do me the honor of marrying me?" I finished. And I felt an explosion of all kinds of emotion, all in some range of happiness and surprise, the strongest ranging from sheer euphoria, to utter confusion.
And I looked up to her face; I hadn't realized I had looked away. I was suddenly brought to my senses as I heard the voice of my angel speak.
"Of course Jasper!" Her voice was so high pitched it took much effort not to wince in pain. And I felt myself catching onto her radiating euphoria, and I couldn't help but smile as she brought her arms around my neck, pulling me down, and brought her velvet lips to my ear.
"Of course, Jasper, of course." And I could sense her happiness, even without my gift. I didn't need it to feel that she was truly happy, for once in so long she felt happy and wanted. The latter emotion surprised me, yet it shouldn't have. She couldn't remember her human life, she must have felt something was always missing.
I wrapped my arms around her petite frame.
"Thank you, Alice, so much" I breathed, and yet my voice still managed to crack
And she pulled away, looking at me with a renewed curiosity.
"For what Jasper?" And I looked into her endless, honey colored eyes, her jet black hair, and the face of a seraph that I couldn't believe wanted to be with me. I held her face in my hands, with hers over mine, and looked into the eyes I knew would greet me every waking moment of my non-life. She must have felt my joy, my passion, for she let the subject drop. I brought my lips to kiss her perfect nose, and then lowered my lips to what I wanted to kiss the most; her pale rose colored lips.
I kissed her with a new passion, but it was a soft kiss just the same, and relished in the softness of her lips against mine. When I pulled away, I answered her dropped question.
"For making me so happy. So, so happy."
And she smiled, looked into my eyes, and kissed me, her supple lips against mine once again. When she pulled away, she looked into my eyes, and smiled her wonderfully beautiful smile. I knew my eyes must be the brightest shade of gold she'd seen since I met her.
We sat there for what seemed like hours just bathing in the warmth of each other's presence, surely looking either very happy, or very dim-wittingly in love to the scarce passerby. As we sat we looked at nothing but the other, reveling in the feeling of pure joy. She turned and looked at me with an expression of pure bliss, and smiled coyly when I caught her.
In that moment, I was sure I was the one she wanted to be with; monster or not. We were both very aware that we completed one another, two perfect matches where only the other could complete the first. And we were finally making it official. I smiled at the thought.
Now I knew she was mine, and forever would be.
Yes, I know there is no ring, I didn't know where to fit it in.
