"Alice," Jasper whispered into her hair, "I love you."
She sighed in contentment. His cool stone arms held her in a gentle embrace, and she rested her head against his collar bone. She traced the line of his jaw with her lips. "I love you too."
"Honestly," Jasper said with a chuckle that shook the bed just ever so slightly, "I don't know how I lasted a minute while you were in Italy. The thought of the Volturi…and you…" His arms tightened around her slender shoulders. "Just the thought of you there with-"
She interrupted him with a kiss. "But now I'm here with you."
He pulled her on top of him and kissed her until she felt like she was flying and he was the only thing in the world that could keep her on the ground. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he tangled his fingers in her hair, securing her closer to him. One of his hands moved down her neck and her torso, traced her hip and down her thigh, and all of a sudden he hitched her knee up around his hip.
"Jasper!" she gasped.
Her lips felt their way up his neck until she found his lips again, and kissed him with such enthusiasm it took him by surprise. Finally she rolled off of him, and he wrapped an arm around her as she fit her small frame against the side of his body. She was not the only one breathing harder than usual.
He laughed out loud.
"What?" she wanted to know.
"It's not every day that I get my way with you," he laughed. "You're usually the one to settle for a hug and a quick peck, but not tonight!"
She grinned. "Sometimes I forget my husband is such a good kisser".
He rumpled her hair. "Sometimes I forget my wife can kiss at all."
"Oh, ha-ha, very funny."
"Well, you so rarely unleash the power of your lips on me that the effect of them slips my memory once in a while." He winked and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.
"I've really missed you," she said quietly.
"Me too… Alice."
She looked up at him with a puzzled expression.
"I just love the way your name sounds. Alice. Alice!!"
She giggled. "Thanks, Jazz."
They let the comfortable silence settle around them, content just to be in each other's arms as the sun set over the breezy day. Alice held Jasper's large, pearly hand in her own small one, and absent-mindedly played with his fingers.
After a while, Jasper reached over and stroked her cool cheek. He was puzzled by the slight reluctance he felt in her; she didn't want to look at him.
"Alice?" he said softly. She didn't answer; instead, she buried her face in his chest.
"Alice, what is it?" He gently coxed her chin up towards him so that he could look into the depths of her beautiful golden eyes. They were full of fear and pain, and he knew that if her eyes could be filled with tears, they would be. Her lips trembled.
He pulled her into his arms, and held her tightly to him. He knew his wife very well, and understood that all she wanted was to be sheltered from the world in his arms. He knew that she would tell him what was bothering her when she was ready, so he didn't ask; he just rubbed her shoulder gently as she began to sob - quiet, broken, tearless sobs.
After a few minutes she was quiet, and he listened to her breathing even out and felt her body relax before he lifted her face so that he could look into her eyes-her warm, golden eyes that frequently took his breath away-once more.
"Whenever you're ready," he said gently.
Her gaze faltered, but she met his eyes again and leaned her head against him. "The Volturi terrify me," she whispered.
"That's all?" he asked quietly, a little surprised. "Oh, honey!" He tucked her head under his chin. "It's alright." But he sensed he was missing something, an underlying emotion that had her white cheeks even paler than usual. Shame?
"Did anything…happen in the castle?"
"No. I mean, plenty happened of course, but I didn't break down or anything." Her words were barely audible. "I'm sorry."
"Sorry?" he asked, still puzzled.
"Sorry I saved it all for you." She couldn't help a smile.
"Alice, I want you to save it all for me. I want to be there for you when you're upset, I want to hold you close and tell you it's alright, I want you to confide in me. I want to be your shoulder to cry on." They both giggled at the irony of the expression.
"Really, Alice, for such an intelligent psychic, I'm surprised you overlooked that one." He jabbed her in the ribs playfully.
"Jazz, you know I tell you everything."
"I even get reports of things that haven't happened yet!"
"Lucky you," she murmured, and closed her eyes.
He still held her against his chest. He ran his fingers through her hair gently and whispered, "I'm here for you no matter what."
She kept her eyes closed, and clung to his free hand tightly. "I just…I can't keep the pictures out of my head…of Edward writhing on the floor, Bella's horrified face, Aro's papery skin…" Her hand was trembling slightly. "And I couldn't be afraid then, I had to be strong for Bella, for Edward…when we were in the castle, I didn't even let myself get scared. I didn't let fear cross my mind…but now I just…I can't…when I remember…"
"Alice, sweetie, don't worry, you're home, you're safe, Bella and Edward are safe too."
She was still trembling. "Alice, look at me."
She opened her eyes and looked up at him. He took her face between his hands. "Alice, you helped save Edward's life."
She nodded mutely, but did not release her iron grip on his hand. He looked at her rigid form for a few moments, and decided to try a different route. Keeping her face between his hands, he bent down and kissed her tenderly. Her eyelids fluttered, and she kissed back.
When he finally pulled away, she curled up against him. She still held his hand, but more gently now. "Jasper, it works," she said quietly, beaming up at him.
"What works?" he asked her.
"If I look at you, or kiss you preferably," she giggled, "You're the only thing that matters, it's like I can't see anything else, Volturi included." She sighed contentedly. "I just love you so much."
"I'm happy to look at you and/or kiss you whenever you want," he said playfully. He could tell she was still shaken, and he stroked her cheek with his cool fingertips once more. "I feel that way too," he added, "about looking at you. You're the center of my universe, and there's nothing you can do about it!"
She grinned at him, and stuck her tongue out. "There's nothing you can do about the way I feel about you either!"
He wrapped his arms around her and looked into her eyes. "I wouldn't change it for the world."
They lay in each other's arms quietly for a long time, letting the night envelope the forest that surrounded the house. After a while, Alice looked up at him.
"Why are you smiling?" she asked.
"I just can't believe my good fortune," he replied. "I have such a rare beauty in my arms."
She was about to say something sarcastic, but she bit her tongue as she focused on his honey-colored eyes. They were looking down at her with such tender love and happiness that she felt dazed. All she could do was wrap her arms around his neck and bury her face in his shoulder.
"Jasper, I love you," she whispered.
"I love you too, Alice. I love you too."
He kissed her forehead as she looked up at him, and beamed at her. "I'm so happy you're back, you have no idea."
"I'm sorry you've had to do all this comforting, I haven't been much fun so far this evening…I know this wasn't exactly the reunion either of us had been planning... but I promise we'll have plenty of fun the rest of the night!" She giggled and crushed his lips with her own before he had time to answer.