Travelin' Soldier
A/N: This is an A/U story about Alice and Jasper. I'm starting it as a one-shot but with enough interest I'll write more. The story is based on the song 'Travelin' Soldier' by the Dixie Chicks. This story is dedicated to Sissylove25 who requested I write another Jalice story :-)
Alice Cullen lives in the small town of Forks Washington with her parents and two older brothers. Alice is seventeen and works at the local diner every day after school and all day on Saturday's. It was the same routine for Alice every day, she woke up, her brothers dropped her at school on their way to the community college and then she would get a lift with her friend Rosalie Hale to the diner where they would both work their six hour shifts and then Rosalie would drop Alice at home and she would do her homework and repeat that routine the next day.
Today was different.
Alice and Rosalie were 5 hours into their Saturday shifts when a man wearing an army uniform walked in.
Alice smiled as she watched him walk to her section.
Rosalie smiled, "Ali, go take his order. He's cute."
Alice grabbed her notepad and made her way over to the man.
"Hi, I'm Alice and I'll be your waitress today. What can I get for you?" Alice asked with a gentle smile.
"Hi Alice, I'm actually not sure what to get. Honestly I came in here hoping to talk to someone. Would you mind sitting and talking to me? I'm feeling a little low, I don't know anyone around here," the man asked.
Alice smiled, "I'm off in an hour and I know a place where we can go."
"Thanks. I'm Jasper by the way," the man said.
"Nice to meet you Jasper. Would you like a drink or anything while you wait?" Alice asked.
"A coffee would be lovely thank you," Jasper smiled.
Alice smiled and walked back to the counter to make Jasper a coffee.
"How'd it go?" Rosalie asked as she approached Alice.
"He seems really sweet. His name is Jasper, he just wants someone to talk to so I'm going to take him to the pier after work," Alice explained.
"I'll let your parents know that I let you go off with a stranger then will I?" Rosalie teased.
Alice laughed. Every Saturday Alice and Rosalie met Alice's brothers at the pier after work to relax for a few hours after a busy week.
Their shifts finished and Rosalie left Alice to get Jasper. The pier was only a 10 minute walk from the diner so Alice and Jasper would walk while Rosalie drove her car.
Alice led Jasper out of the diner and along the path to the pier.
"I've never seen you around before, are you new to town?" Alice asked to start a conversation.
"Actually I'm just passing through on my way to California for training," Jasper answered, "I joined the army a few months ago and got my orders yesterday."
Alice nodded, "what made you decide to enlist?"
"Well I finished high school last year and I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. My Dad had been in the army and died in combat about 8 months ago. That was when I made up my mind, I wanted to serve my country just like he did. It was just the two of us, my Mum died when I was 5. I guess I came into the diner to find someone who might miss me. At least someone who would care if something happens to me. I would have someone to tell the service to contact," Jasper explained.
Alice smiled softly, "well I'm really sorry for your loss but knowing that it led to you coming into the diner today I can't help but feel a little grateful."
Jasper chuckled, "that is one way of looking at it."
"I'm sorry, that was really inappropriate," Alice groaned.
Jasper just smiled and took her hand, "it's okay. I'm glad that things happened the way they did to lead me to you."
Alice looked at their joined hands and blushed slightly.
This was not normal.
A cute guy walking into the diner was normal.
A cute guy who just wanted to talk to her was not normal.
A cute guy who openly held her hand without even knowing her was not normal.
Alice couldn't believe her luck, this had to be a dream.
"Do you think that I could write to you while you're gone?" Alice asked.
Jasper smiled, "I'd really like that."
"You look like you want to say more," Alice said a few moments later.
They had reached the end of the pier.
"It's more a question. A question that I shouldn't ask when we've only just met," Jasper said slowly.
Alice smiled softly, "you can ask me anything."
Jasper still hesitated, what he was about to ask Alice was a lot to ask of someone he'd only just met.
Alice gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.
"Would I be able to list you as my emergency contact with the army?" Jasper asked.
"Absolutely," Alice said with a bright smile.
Jasper bought Alice's hand up to his lips planting a kiss to the back of her hand.
Alice blushed and looked at the ground to try to hide it.
Jasper laughed softly, "you're very cute when you blush."
Alice blushed harder, "I guess you have that impact on me."
Jasper smiled and wrapped his arm around Alice's shoulders holding her close to him.
Alice smiled and leaned into his hold.
Alice couldn't believe her luck and hoped desperately that she wouldn't suddenly wake up and this have all been a dream.
They walked back up the pier and headed towards the beach to the right of the pier.
They walked in companionable silence for a while before they reached the end of the beach.
Jasper had a conspiratorial look on his face as they stopped walking and looked at one another.
"What?" Alice asked embarrassedly.
"Do you want to dance?" Jasper asked.
Alice openly laughed, "Jasper we're on sand, there's no music, how exactly are we going to dance?"
Jasper smiled and pulled his phone from his pocket opening his music app. Jasper selected a song and put his phone on one of the giant rocks beside them.
Alice smiled as Ed Sheeran's 'Thinking Out Loud' played.
Jasper pulled Alice to stand on his feet and together they moved to the music.
Alice was grateful to be standing on Jasper's feet as she wasn't very confident in her coordination at this point in time.
Jasper held her close and they moved to the song, his arms around Alice's waist and Alice's arms around his neck.
When your legs don't work like they used to before
And I can't sweep you off of your feet
Will your mouth still remember the taste of my love?
Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks?
Alice smiled widely as Jasper lifted her up and spun her around before gently placing her back on his feet. All without taking his eyes off of hers.
And, darling, I will be loving you 'til we're 70
And, baby, my heart could still fall as hard at 23
And I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways
Maybe just the touch of a hand
Well, me—I fall in love with you every single day
And I just wanna tell you I am
Their eyes were locked in their own embrace as their bodies moved together.
So, honey, now
Take me into your loving arms
Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars
Place your head on my beating heart
I'm thinking out loud
Maybe we found love right where we are
Alice's head rested on Jasper's chest with his head resting on the top of hers.
When my hair's all but gone and my memory fades
And the crowds don't remember my name
When my hands don't play the strings the same way (mmm...)
I know you will still love me the same
Jasper placed a delicate kiss on Alice's head.
'Cause, honey, your soul could never grow old, it's evergreen
And, baby, your smile's forever in my mind and memory
I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways
Maybe it's all part of a plan
Well, I'll just keep on making the same mistakes
Hoping that you'll understand
Alice looked up from Jasper's chest and smiled at him.
That, baby, now
Take me into your loving arms
Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars
Place your head on my beating heart
Thinking out loud
Maybe we found love right where we are (oh, oh)
Jasper smiled back at Alice.
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, lo-ud
Their eyes met again and their faces grew closer.
So, baby, now
Take me into your loving arms
Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars
Oh, darling, place your head on my beating heart
I'm thinking out loud
But maybe we found love right where we are
Oh, baby, we found love right where we are
And we found love right where we are
The song came to a slow end and their lips met in a soft loving touch.
They slowly pulled apart, their foreheads resting together as they both tried to catch their breaths.
They were both smiling widely as Alice stepped off of Jasper's feet and Jasper grabbed his phone from the rock.
Jasper put his phone back in his pocket and took Alice's hand back in his own.
Alice smiled sadly, "I wish you didn't have to leave."
"Me too," Jasper said holding her close again and kissing her head, "thank you for giving something to live for over there. Thank you for letting me into your life."
Alice felt tears in her eyes, "thank you for giving me something to be grateful for."
They held each other tightly and tried to keep their emotions in tact.
"ALICE!" someone from behind them yelled.
Alice groaned and pulled away from Jasper's embrace, "my brother's," she explained.
Jasper nodded his understanding and wiped away the tears from Alice's cheeks, tears that she hadn't realised had fallen.
The couple turned to face Alice's brothers.
"Why did Rose say you had run off with some guy you only just met?!" Emmett asked angrily.
Alice rolled her eyes and glared at her brother, "I guarantee that Rose didn't put it that way at all. I'm sure you'll be happy to know that JASPER was just passing through on his way to fight for our country."
That made Emmett do a double take, "you're kidding right?"
Alice looked pointedly at Jasper's uniform.
"I'm sorry to have taken up your sister's time. I was only looking for someone to talk to before heading to the base. I don't have any family you see and the army require an emergency contact. I simply wanted to ask if your sister would be willing to be that person for me," Jasper explained, not wanting Alice to get in trouble.
"You want my seventeen year old sister to be your emergency contact for the army?" Edward asked in shock.
"If that's all you wanted why were you kissing her?" Emmett asked in annoyance.
"You two forget that I'm more mature at seventeen than you two were at my age," Alice said frustratedly, "as for the kiss that is NONE of your business Emmett. Jasper is a lovely person and I'm proud to be his emergency contact. Now if you'll excuse us we're going to go for a walk before Jasper has to leave."
Alice took Jasper's hand and they walked away from Alice's brothers.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause tension with your family," Jasper said.
Alice smiled, "I'm the baby of the family, it'll be fine. They just forget that I can take care of myself. They're just insecure because they never had the guts to join the armed forces. Our Dad was a doctor on the front lines for the army for a while before he met Mum. He always hoped my brothers would be willing to help the cause but they chose different paths."
Jasper smiled, "your father might have known mine then."
Alice grinned, "I'll have to ask him and let you know."
Jasper squeezed Alice's hand, "I don't want to dampen the mood but I want you to know that I won't always be able to write to you. I'll write as often as I can though."
Alice nodded her understanding, "I understand. I'll still write every chance I get so that you know I'm thinking of you."
Jasper gave her a soft smile, "you're amazing you know."
Alice blushed.
The couple spent the remainder of the evening strolling along the beach and the pier.
They didn't talk too much, just enough to know the basics about each other.
They were both looking forward to writing to each other so that they could learn more about one another.
They both hoped that it would help them to cope with being apart.
It is amazing how in such a short time two people who have only just met could mean so much to one another.
The couple parted knowing that they had someone special in their lives.