Was this normal?…His foot bounced was almost rhythmical on the tile floor of the hospital room. Such an…awful color, he thought idly to himself. A sickly tannish color for the walls, making the white tiles on the floor look utterly dull. But what should he care about the room's colors, for God's sake? He should just be thankful that he got Alice to a hospital in time, with his boss barely letting him out of work for anything.

Jasper's mind was going a mile a minute, and he had no idea why. Those damn parenting books were full of lies. Oh, you won't be nervous at all…just wait for your little bundle of joy to arrive…Well, that was far from the normal truth, considering the fact that he felt as if he were about to vomit and have a heart attack at the same time. How the hell could you just sit around and watch the love of your life nearly sob every time she had a contraction and act as if it's a normal thing? It made no sense to him whatsoever.

Alice was doing fairly well. She was in a lot of pain at times, but she still kept up her happy attitude, waiting patiently for her baby that was coming soon. She kept flashing that smile that still, as weak as it was, sent Jasper's heart racing. She was so beautiful, even while in a hospital bed, wires and tubes surrounding her, dressed in a hospital gown and wrapped in a gray blanket. She had actually never looked prettier…her baby bump added a sort of glow to her.

His foot still bouncing, Jasper's green eyes glanced at the clock ticking away on the wall. 2:17 am. They had been here for nearly eleven hours, and yet Alice still wasn't ready to deliver yet. In all of the movies he had ever seen in his entire life, once a couple made it to the hospital, the baby would just simply pop right out in a matter of minutes. He knew Hollywood lied about a lot of things, but it kind of insulted him that they would lie about something so serious as this to soon to be dads…wait, what? Jasper silently kicked himself for letting his mind wander off again. He probably would've started debating the theory of evolution in his head if it wasn't for the couple who had just walked inside.

It wasn't an exaggeration when he said that these two people made his blood run cold. He couldn't understand what had possibly happened to them to make them so hateful towards others, including their own daughter. Alice's hand, which had been wrapped around four of Jasper's fingers, immediately released its grip and pulled itself up back to her bed, watching then walk in.

"Mom…Dad…" she was breathless when she said this, but Jasper could tell it wasn't from the contractions. The fear was etched very clearly on her face, but of course her parents were oblivious to that. They were just watching Jasper with a disgusted look on their faces, as if he were a homeless man begging them for food.

You could almost feel the tension filling up the room. The silence that surrounded them was making Jasper feel more and more nervous by the second. How did they find out where they were? Alice had made it very clear a few months ago when she had left home to be with Jasper and her unborn son. They both had thought it would be enough to scare them off…

This was a huge speed bump. Alice was still watching them in disbelief, but to Jasper's astonishment, she slowly reached her small hand over the bed railing, IV and all, and took his hand very gently in her own. Her bright blue eyes were still fixated on her parents, mostly her mother. There was almost a slight grin to her face, as if she were a teenager again, doing something against her parent's will. This made Jasper's heart swell with pride. If she wasn't scared, then he sure as hell wasn't going to be. It was his job to protect her against all odds in this world. He found himself squeezing her hand in reassurance, not caring that her parents were watching his every word like a hawk.

This sign of affection set off a bomb. You could tell it was about to go off…but a scream of pain interrupted them all.

A lot of things happened right then. Alice squeezed Jasper's hand so hard he could've sworn he heard it crack. Esme jumped forward towards her daughter, but Carlisle quickly yanked her back, pulling her away from Jasper as if he was afraid he might hurt her. A swarm of doctors rushed in, all trying to push everyone out so they could wheel Alice to the delivery room. Another painful shriek from Alice shook Jasper to the very core.

They were trying to pull him away. He felt one of the nurses pull away Alice's sweaty hand from his grasp. Hurriedly he began to explain that he was the father, but he found it increasingly difficult when he started feeling Carlisle and Esme's eyes boring into the back of his head. Alice's yelling was beginning to fill the hallway, and as Jasper turned to follow the nurses out of the room to follow, the phrase "if looks could kill" meant something entirely different to him.

As soon as he got out of the room, he ran back to up to Alice, nearly slipping in the process. They pushed the bed through a pair of double doors and into another room, where another crowd of doctors staring thrusting a mask and some blue scrub like things into Jasper's arms, ordering him to put these on if he were to stay with Alice. Shoving them over his head, he hurried to the room, rushing to Alice's side.

He hated saying this, but Alice didn't look very good at all. Her choppy black hair was stuck to her forehead with sweat, and her face had a permanent look of pure agony on it. He could see tear after tear mixed with mascara run down her pale cheeks as the doctors kept encouraging her to push. It was awful, seeing the one person you love suffering in so much. But she was strong enough, he knew this much. She always had been, whether it was standing up to her parents or having their child. Whether it was giving Jasper that smile two years ago, or being a rich girl falling in love with a poor boy. Whatever it was, Jasper knew she would always be strong enough.

She was watching him, her blue eyes wide with fear and brimming with fresh tears. Her pale pink lips quivered as she opened her mouth to whisper, "I can't do this.."

He leaned down, gently brushing his lips hers. His thumb slowly slid across her cheek, wiping her face dry again. His quiet words tickled her ear; "You know very well that I didn't fall in love with a quitter,"

Something registered inside of her, because her face changed. He didn't really take time to look, for the grip on his hand had suddenly tightened, and Alice closed her eyes. Jasper kissed her ear just as the doctor told her to push. Another tear fell down her cheek, and this time, she listened.

You know in movies, when something really dramatic and life changing happens, it seems like its in slow motion? Well this was something that Hollywood didn't lie about.

Alice let out another cry of pain, but kept pushing, her eyes still squeezed shut. One of the nurses was telling her that she could see the head…then the shoulders…her doctor demanded one long, big push, and Alice obeyed. Her loudest scream yet filled the room and she collapsed onto Jasper's shoulder, trying to catch her breath. A sudden silence filled the room, as a baby started to cry.

There he was…the most beautiful being Jasper and Alice had ever seen in their entire lives. He was the perfect size…all ten little toes and fingers…a little puff of blonde hair on top of his head…and bright green eyes.

He was perfect.

One of the nurses scooped him up and took him away to be cleaned. Alice's doctor came up, smiling. "He's perfectly healthy…a fine set of lungs too. Congratulations," he said, grinning at them and then walking off.

Jasper's heart was filled with pride at this. Not even a minute old and already his son was truly perfect. Lowering his head, he took a look at Alice and found that a new set of tears was fresh upon her face, watching the nurses clean up her baby from across the room. A smile was planted on her face, her lips trembling. "Jasper…we have a son now…" She looked up at him, that look of pure amazement still on her face. He knew exactly how she felt…he couldn't believe it either.

The nurse came back over, smiling, carrying a blue bundle in her arms. She gently sat him down in Alice's waiting arms. He fit perfectly, his little blonde head resting gently against her chest. He wasn't moving around much, his droopy eyes showing how tired he was. Alice smiled, running her fingertip against his cheek. "Hi baby…" His eyes focused on her for a moment, then wandered on over to his dad. Jasper's heart skipped a beat as this happened, watching his son closely. Look at Alice's fingers; he decided to do the same…

All hell broke loose.

The two doors were busted open with a loud bang, and their son was jolted awake from his slumber, starting to cry. Alice had already seemed to register who it was and was starting to sit up, still clutching her baby. Jasper hopped up right as Esme and Carlisle strode inside.

The collar of Jasper's shirt nearly choked him as Carlisle yanked him forward, delivering a massive punch to his face. "Get the HELL away from my daughter!" As if afraid of getting his hands dirty, he dropped Jasper onto the ground. Jasper's head was pounding, his nose dripping wet with blood. A swarm of doctors rushed in, but stopped dead at the scene. No one dared to say anything.

Alice was crying as bad as her son. "Jasper get up! Please!" Esme snarled, clamping her hand over her daughter's mouth. "You are NEVER allowed to see him, EVER again. Do you understand me, Alice?" She shook her daughter's shoulders, demanding an answer. Jasper watched helplessly as she began shaking with silent sobs, nodding her head. Was this it?…

Carlisle stormed back over, yanking Jasper back up by his shirt and started half dragging him down the hallway. Jasper tried as best as he could to break free…he really did. Alice was still crying in her bed, reaching her arm out desperately. "JASPER!" He nearly ran back, but before he knew it he was facedown on the cement pavement of the hospital parking lot. Spitting out bits of dirt, he began to sit up, but Carlisle delivered a hard kick in his stomach, knocking him down all over again.

"If you even THINK about going back to her, you'll be as dead as a doornail. Remember that," He glared at Jasper in disgust, then spit straight into his face and stormed back inside.

This was it. The end.

Jasper hated feeling weak…but he couldn't help it. Head collapsing back onto the pavement, he opened his green eyes and, just for a moment, felt at ease. But as those doors opened to let Carlisle back in, aloud sound escaped, finding its way to his ears.

Alice screaming his name, and his son's cries echoing in the background.

The doors slid shut, just as Jasper closed his eyes.