A/N – Hi, guys!

So, I'm uploading the first chapter of what will be my Alice-centric spin-off to NYILY/DITHOT.

Warning – This story is set four years into the future of the boys' timeline, so if you don't want spoilers (they aren't humungous spoilers, but they're there) then don't read it just yet.

Like Kate's spin-off, these chapters won't be regularly posted until I've tied up NYILY, but I'm posting to give a flavour to anyone who's interested.

(And if you're wondering about the way Alice spells words, she's English. Her 'voice' speaks in English-English, not American-English).

Jasper and Edward of the NYILY universe play a big role in this story, so you'll get a nice glimpse of the later college years for them :-)

Prologue

Alice

Ah, hell!

You'd think, wouldn't you, after stepping off a five hour plane ride, that your little cousin would actually be on time to pick you up from the airport?

I mean, is it too much to ask?

I'd say not.

And yet…

I'm standing in the arrivals lounge in JFK, surrounded by families embracing and crying out in joy at being reunited. It's a beautiful picture.

Edward is nowhere to be found, naturally. He better not have forgotten that I'm getting in today.

Although, knowing him, he probably has, and that means that I'm going to have to catch a damn taxi. Again.

Normally, that's not such a big deal, but when I've packed up a year's worth of my life – and by life, I mean shoe collection – into three suitcases and lugged them across a busy airport, expecting to see him waiting dutifully for me on the other side with open arms. Well… colour me unimpressed when he's a no-show.

I dig around in my pocket for my mobile phone, determined to have a good long bitch at his voicemail before I have to drag myself outside to the taxi rank, when I hear my name being hollered.

"Alice!"

I turn, fully prepared to eat my words, except it's not Teddy who is calling me.

Still, it's the next best thing.

His boyfriend.

He holds his arms out in greeting as he jogs to a stop at my side, and I launch myself into them, breathing in the smell of his sandalwood cologne. Good to see that Jasper has been keeping up with fashion in New York – he's done me proud.

"You look great," I enthuse, when he sets me back on my feet. It's not a lie – I don't swing that way, but if I did, Jasper would totally be what I'd go for. He's six-feet-three-inches of golden tan and yummy muscles. The fitted t-shirt and snug jeans only serve to accentuate his impressive physique, and his honey blond curls are sort of tousled carelessly.

Sparkling blue eyes look down at me from above his mega-watt grin. "I got drafted to come and get'cha. Edward's all tied up right now."

"I hope you don't mean that literally," I tease. "Because, you know, he's my cousin, and that would be really gross."

Jasper laughs, the warm, infectious sound that I remember so well. "Oh, Ali, I've missed ya."

It's been eight months since I saw him last, right around the disastrous Valentine's day where I found out my girlfriend was pregnant. And yeah, I know how that sounds, but she's bisexual, and apparently spent over a year of our relationship screwing around on me with some guy.

Love sucks. It really does.

"Your room in the apartment is all set up," Jasper tells me in his husky, southern voice as he effortlessly picks up two of my bags, even though they weigh an absolute ton. This, I reason, is why you need a man on standby. Vicky couldn't pick up bags for me with her skinny chicken arms.

Screw girls, and I don't mean that literally anymore. I'm just going to become a spinster fag hag.

It's much less complicated, you see.

"So, it's me, you, Edward and Seth?" I check, as Jasper sets off towards the automatic doors. His legs are so long that I have to take three strides to match one of his. Lucky I walk quickly, isn't it?

"Yup," he agrees. Jasper and Edward rented out a great three bedroom apartment when they first started at NYU and Columbia respectively, and their friends Seth and Makenna moved in with them. But then, when Chuck proposed to Kenna, she moved out, creating a space. An Alice-sized space, it transpires, because I decided shortly thereafter – thanks to Victoria fucking up my entire life – to ditch my flat in London and take a bite out of the Big Apple.

Kind of daunting, considering I've travelled across the pond to remake my life with nothing more than two grand in the bank and a fervent prayer that I might actually be able to start fresh.

"Not that I'm not pleased to see you, Jazzy," I say, "But what kept Edward?"

Jasper grimaces. "Research project. It's only the second week, but senior year is really kickin' his ass."

My baby cousin is studying biomedical engineering. Fuck knows why. He always was the brains of the family. I just like to make things look pretty.

"Is he on edge, then?"

"Keeps bitin' my fuckin' head off whenever I ask him if he's doin' okay," Jasper grumbles, though he seems more concerned than annoyed. That's the only thing I have reservations about living with the pair of them over. I can put up with the obnoxiously loud sex, the constant teasing, and the disgustingly mushy-gushy-ness they sometimes end up spouting to each other, but the genuine adoration they have for each other is going to be difficult to stomach in my post-Vicky blues.

You'd think that nearly four years together would've toned the I-love-you-so-much-I-could-just-die vibes down a notch.

You'd be wrong. If anything, they're worse than they were when they first hooked up.

I don't really begrudge them their happiness, honestly. If any two people are meant to be together on this shitty little planet, it's Edward and Jasper.

"How's the family?" I ask, as we reach Jasper's car. Actually, it's Edward's car, but there's little point in making the distinction. Jasper pops the trunk of the Volvo and begins manfully loading in my bags, waving off my pitiful attempts at assistance.

"They're good. Rosie's declared her major. Mechanics. Em's got her workin' in the shop with him for extra trainin'."

"Not a surprise." I smile. Rosalie was always an oddity – the cheerleader who preferred auto shop coveralls to her tiny skirted uniform. But then, I'd expect nothing less from the sister of the small-town Texan gay quarterback. "What about Tanya?"

"She's takin' Chicago by storm, as per. Gramma and Mama went out to her first PR event. They said it was really somethin'."

"And Katie and little MJ?" I ask, as Jasper slams the trunk back into place.

"They're great. Comin' out for a visit next month, actually. Katie says she just has to wait for Garrett to get vacation clearance from the hospital before they book their flights."

"I bet you're excited." I walk round to the passenger side door and crack it open.

"Can't wait. MJ talks on the phone now, too. He was all 'Unca Jay, Mama says I getta come stay with you an' Unca Teddit'."

I laugh. "Teddit?"

"He can't say Edward," Jasper replies with a grin as he slides into the driver's seat. "Or Teddy, apparently."

I can't help but snicker at that. Edward has enough issues with his childhood nickname without that being butchered as well. Still, I can't really imagine him getting pissed at a three year old.

Jasper starts the ignition and throws the car into reverse as he manoeuvres out of the tight parking space.

I watch the scenery flash by the window in comfortable silence for a while, before Jasper pulls me out of my reverie. "How you doin', Tink? You know… with the whole Vicky mess and that."

I sigh. Jasper is probably one of about two people in the entire world who could ask me that without me biting their head off. The other one is Aunt Esme. "Um… not great, but I'm dealing with it."

"She's a bitch," he offers. "Don't know what's good for her, if you ask me."

"Thanks, babe," I say, even though I know he's placating me. That's just Jasper, sweeter than candyfloss, and much less likely to give me cavities from prolonged exposure.

"You just wait, Ali." He's staring out of the windscreen, his deep blue eyes alight with, if not excitement, then at least a close relative to it. "You're gonna own this city, and you'll forget all about her. You're gonna meet some girl who actually knows how fuckin' lucky she is to have you."

"Hm," I reply noncommittally. "Maybe."

When we pull up at Jasper's place – my new place, I realize – I'm actually feeling a glimmer of excitement stirring in the pit of my stomach, as opposed to the hollow nothingness I've been feeling for a while. This is it. My fresh start.

My new adventure.

"Go on up, Alice, I'll get the bags," Jasper says chivalrously, and I make a mental note to bitch-slap my cousin if I ever catch him taking Jazz for granted. The man is a true southern gentleman, through and through.

I take the stairs up to the top floor, to apartment 21. I almost raise my hand to knock, but then I remember that this is technically my house, now, so I try the handle.

The door swings open.

It's exactly as I remember from my last visit. Open plan, great decor, light and airy. Edward is sprawled across one sofa, fast asleep, with a textbook balancing on his chest and his reading glasses askew. I grin fondly at him.

Seth isn't home, I don't think, but I can't be sure. I edge further into the room, dropping my purse onto the breakfast bar, just as Jasper comes up the stairs and kicks the door shut behind him as he crosses the threshold.

"What have you got in these damn bags, Alice? Rocks?" he grumbles, setting them down in a neat pile by the coat stand.

"Shoes. And clothes. And maybe a few books."

He rolls his eyes and rounds the breakfast bar into the kitchen area. "I'm gonna grab a beer. You want one?"

"Please."

Jasper extracts two beers from the fridge and places one in my hand as he comes back into the living area. He walks straight past me over to where Edward is lying, zonked out, and gently places one hand on his shoulder.

"Darlin'?" he shakes him. Edward jerks awake, mumbling something incoherent, and pushes himself upright. He looks kind of adorable with his glasses all wonky like that.

"Wattimeizit?" he groans. Jasper reaches over to straighten his crooked spectacles, smiling.

"It's just after one, Ed."

"Shit! I gotta go get Alice!" He jumps up from the sofa, nearly knocking Jasper flying, and skirts around him to race towards the door. Brushing past me on his way, I might add. "Sorry, 'scuse me, Alice," he mutters, and then freezes when he realizes what he's just said. Slowly, he swivels on one foot to stare at me.

"No need to go and get me, Teddy, I'm here," I say unnecessarily.

He blinks, astonished by this turn of events. Edward's pretty dopey when he just wakes up. "How did you get here?"

"Jasper," I explain.

Edward refocuses on his boyfriend, his eyes going all soft. "You didn't have to do that. You should've woken me up, babe."

Jazz shrugs. "Nah, you were dead beat. S'alright."

And, right now, this is the point where I have to turn my face away, because I can't watch the warm, glowy love emanating from my cousin's every pore as he looks at Jasper. It hurts too damn much.

It's just a reminder of what I lost. What I never really had to begin with.

No, I think to myself sternly. Man up, Alice. New York is going to change things.

A fresh start.

No need for romance.

Like Jasper said, you're gonna own this town.

Thanks for reading!

PJ

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