The Locket
Alice stared cautiously at the object in front of her. She did this often always contemplating opening it but never being brave enough. Reaching out tentatively she brushed her fingers over the cold metal, feeling the shape of the curve. The object in question was a locket, one which she awoke wearing. Despite having had it for so long the thought of opening it terrified her. She was afraid it would contain photographs of loved ones she couldn't remember, people she cared for enough to hold close to her heart but now knew nothing about. So she simply stared, frowning with a hundred different possibilities buzzing through her head.
The small immortal was sat under the shade of a large tree, the patches of sun that escaped through the branches making diamonds on her skin. The oval shaped locket was lying in her pale hand, her shimmery golden eyes watching it intently as if expecting it to open on its own. Her hands started moving of there own accord, her mind only catching up when they were poised to open the locket. Before she had a chance to change her mind the metal split apart with a soft click. Alice's breath caught, if she was able to cry she would have broken down.
Jasper had just returned from a hunting trip with Emmett who had disappeared almost immediately with his wife, as much as Jasper loved his siblings he did wish they could control themselves a little better. He was currently searching for his own wife who so far was no where to be found. Jasper looked around the familiar set up of their bedroom and noticed a small empty box sitting in the centre of the bed. He sighed, he knew what that box usually contained and he was also aware of how troubled Alice got when she thought about it. He had never pushed her to open the locket knowing how much it could hurt her but he hated how upset it made her when she sat and fretted over it. The tall blonde instantly set out on a search for his beloved.
As soon as he was close enough Jasper new something was wrong, he was used to conflicted emotions in this situation but instead he was picking up an almost blank numbness. He pushed himself to run faster when he felt a spike of hurt swell from the empty feeling.
When the small figure came into view he slowed his pace. She was curled up with her arms wrapped around her legs, her expression blank staring onto the ground in front of her. If he didn't know better he would assume she was having a vision. Her light blue summer dress made her wide eyes appear more gold than ever.
"Alice" he whispered softly in an attempt to bring her from her trance.
She made no indication that she had heard him or that she was even aware of his presence, she sat still as stone, a soft breeze ruffling the light fabric of her clothing.
He moved forward slowly settling himself to sit beside her. He reached out taking her hand which had formed a small fist, he uncurled her fingers and intwined them with his.
Alice gripped his hand desperate for the comforting, familiar feel of his rough skin. She held onto him as tightly as she could.
"I don't even know who they are" she said softly her voice cracking slightly at the end.
Jasper reached forward with his free hand gently plucking the open locket from the ground. He lay it flat on his palm to study the pictures within. The first was a small picture of two young children, a girl no older than eight or nine with long black hair held back in an hairband, she wore a simple white dress and was smiling brightly. The girl was obviously Alice, her face had barely changed, the biggest difference being the bright blue eyes that stared out of the paper at Jasper. Beside her was a young boy around the same age as she was, he had short light brown hair and had his arm slung over her shoulder. His expression matched hers but he was looking at Alice instead of the camera.
Alice tilted her head in order to watch his face as he studied the images. She moved a little closer to him to rest her head on his shoulder, her hand still in his.
Jasper shifted his gaze to the second image. The girl in this photograph was alone, she was younger than the children in the first picture. The image only showed her face making it easy for Jasper to instantly see the resemblance to Alice. There were subtle differences and obvious similarities, the girls eyes were smaller but the same shocking blue as the younger Alice, there smiles were almost identical but the younger girl's was slightly wider. Both Photographs were obviously old and had been cut to fit the shape of the locket. Jasper could see why Alice was so hurt. She was seeing proof of a life that was stolen from her, one that had become so dark that the darkness was all she could remember. However the little knowledge he did have of her life allowed him to identify the second girl.
"She's your sister" He whispered gently.
She looked up at him surprised, her eyes questioning.
"She looks just like you" he said with a soft smile "Don't you see it?"
Alice moved to sit in front of him, between his legs with her back to his chest. He put his arms around her and held the locket in front of her. He leant against the tree behind him so she could rest her back against his chest. She studied the picture in his hand, bringing her own hands up to hold his wrists.
"No" she said quietly. Jasper couldn't see her face but he could tell she was frowning.
"People never see how much they look like their siblings" He replied pressing a kiss to her temple. She smiled a little at this.
"I wish I could remember her" she stated touching the photograph with the tips of her slender fingers "and him" she added switching her attention to the other image.
"He looks so happy" she murmured
"So do you" He countered
She smiled but her eyes were still sad. The little girl standing next to the boy was as much of a mystery to her as the boy himself. Jasper could still feel how unsettled she was so he turned her a little to look down at her face.
"What made you open it?" he asked brushing his fingers against her jaw.
"I think I just got tired of wondering" she replied taking his hand back into hers feeling the raised half-moons against her palm " and I thought.. maybe.." she trailed of her expression turning painfully sorrowful.
"You thought it would make you remember" he finished for her.
She nodded looking up at him with her golden eyes and he couldn't help but imagine them blue wondering what she would have looked like had things been different. He rested his forehead against hers searching for a way to make her happy.
"I think all that's important is to know that they were special to you and you to them" he whispered,she smiled " he's looking at you like you're the most amazing thing in the world, which I agree with by the way" at this she laughed her beautiful, musical laugh " this is proof that there were people who loved and cared for you even if the ones who put you in that asylum didn't understand you" he brushed his lips against her forehead "and it's also important that you know that no matter what your past is, I love you now and I always will"
She looked up again a real smile on her face now, one that he couldn't help but return.
" I love you" she replied " and thank you"
Alice didn't know the people in the locket, not even the little girl in the hairband, they were all strangers to her and maybe they always would be. She found herself strangely at peace with that fact, her past may be a mystery but it had ultimately brought her to Jasper. She heard the locket click closed before Jasper lifted it and placed it around her neck where it belonged. Reaching up she pulled him down to press her lips to his feeling him smile into the kiss. She threaded her fingers through his hair as she turned to face him, his arms sliding around her waist.
Alice was watching the way the sun danced off Jasper's skin while she traced the scars on his chest. She lay with her head on his shoulder thinking how glad she was she had finally opened the locket. Alice would always be curious about her past but for now all she was concerned with was the present.
Hope you enjoyed it !
