Chosen
Jasper reflected on his day as he drove home from Harvard, where he was finishing up his freshman year. It had been stressful: people were doing last minute cramming for finals, and therefore, were exuding waves of anxiety, sleeplessness, and frustration. Due to his flawless memory, Jasper had managed to get his studying done early, and he was now making his way home where he could take a break from the chaos on campus. That emotional climate is enough to drive an empath crazy, he thought. His head was in a fog, and he was mentally drained from spending time around so many people who were also mentally drained. Rather than try to make any sense of his nebulous thoughts, he decided instead to concentrate on his driving. After a few more minutes, he finally reached his destination. He parked his car in the massive garage and made his way up to the house he and his family shared.
"Welcome home, Jasper," Esme said warmly.
Alice leapt up and wrapped her arms and legs around Jasper's body. She kissed him tenderly.
"Is your hand going to fall off?" Emmett joked.
"How are you doing?" Carlisle asked.
"Hang on… one question at a time, please. I don't think my mind can take much more than that at the moment," Jasper mumbled.
"Are you all right?" Carlisle asked, worriedly this time.
"Yes. Or rather, I will be eventually. It's been a rough day," Jasper informed them.
"Your thoughts are very unclear. That's quite unlike you, Jazz. Are you sure you're okay?" Edward said.
"My mind isn't working very well right now. The emotional climate there at school…" he trailed off mid-sentence.
"Maybe you should relax for a little while," Esme said softly, playing with Jasper's curly hair.
"I think that's the appropriate measure to take," Carlisle said.
Jasper didn't feel like arguing. He stood up slowly. "That sounds like a good idea."
"Don't worry. I'll take good care of you," Alice reassured him. Jasper smiled down at her, and then made his way upstairs to the room he and Alice shared. He opened the door and flopped down on their enormous, fluffy bed. Alice followed soon afterward, and she sat next to him.
"Um, Alice?"
She foresaw what Jasper was about to ask, and then she giggled. "I'm making sure you do what the good doctor told you to do." They heard Carlisle chuckle from downstairs.
"Not that I'm complaining, of course," Jasper told her. "I'm just… well… actually, I don't know exactly what I'm doing. I can't think straight."
"Tell me about it," Edward muttered sarcastically from downstairs.
"HEY!" Alice yelled. "Stop making fun of Jazzy!"
Everyone laughed. "She sure told you," Emmett said.
"That she did," Edward admitted.
"Yeah, stop making fun of Jazzy," Jasper said, a few moments too late.
This prompted another round of giggles.
"Delayed reaction?" Emmett asked.
"Don't make me come down there!" Alice threatened.
"Ooooh, I'm scared," Emmett teased.
"You should be," Jasper interjected. "She's… argh, what was I going to say…?"
"Frightening?" Edward suggested, amused.
"That's the word," Jasper verified.
"My goodness, you really aren't normal today, are you?" Esme said.
"He's never normal," Emmett told her, grinning widely.
"No kidding," Rosalie said with a hint of disgust in her voice.
"That's right. That's what makes him interesting," Alice stated defensively.
Jasper chuckled quietly. "I'm special," he said.
The entire family howled with laughter. "You called that one, bro," Emmett agreed.
"That's right," Jasper said. "Don't you forget it."
"Oh, don't worry. I won't," Emmett said, amused.
After that, most of the Cullens settled down to watch TV. Jasper was lying quietly in bed and trying unsuccessfully to clear his overworked mind. Alice was sitting next to him and playing with his hair. "Alice, may I please ask you a question?" he said wearily.
Alice grinned mischievously. "You may, but I'm not entirely sure that I'll give you an answer."
"Can you look into the future and tell me whether or not you will?" Jasper asked.
"Let's see…" Alice giggled. She closed her eyes and scanned the near future. "I see you asking me why I like to play with your hair. I also see myself giving you an answer. I'm going to tell you that it's because your hair is bouncy and fun to play with."
"So are you," Jasper teased.
Another round of hysterical laughter broke out. Alice gasped, not sure whether to feel embarrassed or flattered. "JASPER… SOMETHING… WHITLOCK!" she said. "Was that an offer?"
Jasper chuckled. "Let's save it for when I'm all together, okay?"
"Okay," Alice pouted.
A few moments passed in silence. Then Alice thought of a question to ask. "Jazzy?"
"Hmmm?" Jasper replied.
"What's your middle name?"
"I'm not telling you!"
"Why not?" Alice asked, surprised.
"Because that would make it more effective when you yell at me," Jasper said, smiling.
"When have I ever yelled at you?" Alice asked.
Jasper thought. "Good point. Wait, I take that back. You yelled at me a few moments ago."
"Well, that was different. I only did it because you made me," Alice accused.
Jasper smiled at her. "You're a big girl. I can't make you do anything you don't want to."
Downstairs, Edward and Emmett laughed at the idea of tiny little Alice being called a big girl.
"Shut up, you two!" Alice yelled.
Their laughter subsided immediately.
"That's better," she said.
"Way to show them who's boss," Jasper approved.
"Thank you. So are you going to tell me your middle name?"
"Guess."
"What? Of all the names in the whole entire world, you want me to guess the one that your parents picked out?"
"Yes."
"Fine," Alice sighed, feigning frustration. "Are you going to at least tell me what letter it starts with?"
"Guess," Jasper repeated. "And no going in alphabetical order, either. That's cheating."
"All right," Alice said. The other Cullens listened eagerly. "Does it start with an 'M'?"
"No," Jasper replied.
"An 'S'?"
"No."
"A 'J'?"
"No."
"Jazzy? Can I ask you a question?"
Jasper smiled weakly. "You can, but I'm not entirely sure that I'll give you an answer," he said, quoting what Alice had said minutes earlier.
Alice giggled at him. "You will," she said confidently. "If I did guess the right letter, would you tell me?"
"Yes," Jasper assured her.
"An 'A'?"
"Yes."
"Yay! Hmmm… Jasper A. Whitlock," she said, racking her brain.
Why doesn't she just look into the future and find out? She'll guess correctly if she tries hard enough, so why not spare herself the trouble, Jasper thought.
"I'm wondering the same thing, Jasper," Edward said, ever-so-slightly confused.
"About what?" Alice asked.
"Nothing," Jasper said. "Keep guessing."
"Is it Andrew?" she asked.
"No."
"Adam?"
"No."
"Anthony?"
"No. Why don't you try guessing the second letter?" Jasper suggested.
"Okay," Alice agreed. "Is it an 'N'?"
"No."
"An 'L'?"
"Yes."
"I'm getting closer!" Alice exclaimed, pleased with herself. She clapped her hands.
"Very good," Jasper laughed.
"Thank you! I thought so too. So what's the third letter?"
"I'm not telling you that!" Jasper scolded. "That would give it away!"
"You're no fair," Alice pouted.
"I know."
"Is it Albert?"
"No."
"Alexander? Alphonse?"
Jasper smiled. "No and no."
"Aloysius?" she asked, half joking.
Everyone laughed, including Jasper. "Heavens, no."
Alice thought for a moment longer. "Allen!" she said excitedly.
"Yes. Very good," Jasper commended.
"Awww! Which spelling is it?" Alice asked.
"A-l-l-e-n," he answered.
"Jasper Allen Whitlock… that's adorable!" Alice squealed.
"I'm glad you like it. Even if you didn't, there's not much I can do about it," Jasper said.
"I suppose not," she said, smiling down at her beautiful husband.
"Mmmm," Jasper said.
"I know! Why don't you try to guess my middle name now?" Alice suggested.
"Okay, I… wait a minute," Jasper said, his eyes narrowing. "You don't even remember your middle name. How am I supposed to guess?"
"Oh, hell. You got me," Alice confessed, grinning.
"I'm slow today, but not quite that slow," Jasper said.
Alice stroked his face. "You're never slow. You're just tired and overwhelmed right now. You should get some rest. I promise you'll be back to yourself in no time."
Jasper hesitated. "All right, but on one condition."
Alice foresaw the condition he was about to lay down, and kissed him sweetly on the lips. "Of course I'll stay with you," she reassured him.
"That's all I've ever needed," he whispered, overjoyed.
"I know it is. Now close your eyes and try to relax. I'll take good care of you."
"I know you will. You always have."
"And I always will. We'll always be here to take care of each other when we're in need."
"Always," Jasper agreed.
"I love you, Jasper Allen Whitlock," Alice cooed. She curled up next to him.
Jasper wrapped his arms around his true love. "I love you too," he mumbled sleepily. "You're the one I chose, and I will never, ever, ever stop loving you. Never forget that."