The Battlefield

Jasper

The leaves, tinged orange, fell gracelessly to the ground. The dirt, a deep shade of red, looked bloody. What was left of green grass had been covered by dead twigs, and somewhere, dead bodies. I watched Alice shake her head as she explained about the affects of "Operation Polo." Her face was fit into a shape of hatred. I put my hand on her shoulder, twirling her into me. Her arms already worked their way around my body in a hug.

I unwrapped her from me and she laughed, pleased now, her mind far away from the 17 polo grounds in Hyderabad. I took her hand and spun her, watching her beautiful lithe body dance. I half smiled. The drug that I had induced Alice with would not work on me, letting me only feel what she did.

I rocked on the balls of my feet with her, dancing closer to her than was allowed. Her skin touching mine sparked a certain glow that I could not ignore… My fingers intertwined in hers.

She looked at me, smiling.

"Just wait until you meet them Jazzy. You'll adore them. Oh, Edward, he's a pest but we can always manage…And Carlisle, oh… He's like the father we never had, Jazzy! Just you wait!" She snuggled against my chest, her black spikes poking at my shirt. I didn't mind, I fingered the tips of her hair, noting how incredibly soft and smooth it was.

She'd been going on about the Cullen's for a few weeks now, muttering about the quirks of all of them. Sometimes I wondered if such people could really exist. Living off of animal blood, as she had described, it seemed nearly impossible. I looked down at Alice's perfect face, as she looked up at me.

I looked at myself in the reflection of her eyes, I could see every mark, every imperfection… I internally grimaced, afraid of what she thought of me. I found my hand slowly running alongside her body. I touched the outline of her ribs, stroked her spine…She seemed so….breakable. I felt as if I would shatter her. The hospital that had kept her from me had left its mark….

"Tell me something, Alice…" I muttered, "Tell me again how you found me…" I closed my eyes, trying to relive it as she spoke.

She spoke with her hands, describing the places she went, tracking my route before I had even gone there. I smirked as she talked about the people she had to pester for accurate directions. I remember her sitting down on the stool, just staring at me with the most dazzling grin on her face. Her face had been tinged with mock impatience.

"You shouldn't have kept me waiting."

I remember looking into her eyes and smirking, it did not matter if I didn't know who she was… one look at her small body and I had known. My escape was in her thin hands. With her, nothing would ever fall out of place, as long as I had her.

"I'm sorry ma'am"

The sun hit her side as I cradled her from the back, resting my chin on her shoulder. She sighed with contentment.

"Alice…" I whispered in her ear.

"Yes?"

"Do you love me?" We rocked side to side in silence. She was surprised, I knew though, that she had seen this coming and had been waiting for it, but had not known that it would happen so sudden and soon.

"I've always loved you." She breathed, pulling out from my hold; she stood on her tiptoes, wrapping her arms around my neck. I leaned in dutifully, kissing her light pink lips as if they were a delicacy. In my mind her words surrounded me like a silk blanket.

I've always loved you.