DISCLAIMER: The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creations of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Edward, Emmett and Jasper head to Vegas for four days and three nights of gambling and fun.

Checking In

JASPER:

I hated plane rides. Too many humans in too small of a space! I usually spent the entire ride not breathing and not talking. With Emmett next to me, it was impossible not to talk. But I appreciated the confidence he kept sending my way. Edward was holding up better than I expected. He was missing Bella, but he wasn't anxious or overly sad. He was even feeling a little excited for our trip.

I closed my eyes and thought of Alice. I felt the familiar smile creep across my face. I loved her so much. Every action and reaction I had centered around making her happy. It was easy to be in control and focus on other things when she was at my side. Alice never let me feel like a monster. She never let me feel like I was a risk to anyone. The amount of love and confidence she poured into me always left me a little staggered.

When I first left the south, I never really believed I would leave that life behind for long. It was the only one I had known. I didn't care for a solitary existence, but I also didn't want to fight anymore. Even though my faith was low, I still hoped for something better. That day in the café, when she walked right up to me, I wasn't sure what to do. The love, acceptance and understanding she felt for me rolled off of her in huge waves. She was a stranger, but she acted if she had known me for years. Her golden eyes had perplexed me, but I had also instantly loved them and wanted mine to look that way.

The first time she took me hunting her way, I was apprehensive to say the least. Abstaining from humans had never crossed my mind before. Why would it? It wasn't like they weren't in abundance. A dead human here or there didn't bother me. They were so fragile and they would die anyway, most by their own hands. I was only helping them along. Alice valued humans as something more than a food source. She believed they had a purpose that had nothing to do with being our dinner.

It had gotten much easier of the years to follow Alice and Carlisle's way of life. I loved Alice more than life and every time I fought with the beast inside of me, it was her love that kept me from going over the edge. I smiled again. It also helped that my wife could see the future and keep me out of risky situations. I was on my own for this trip though. I would have to keep myself in check and rely on Emmett and Edward to help if I needed it. Knowing and loving Bella had made it much easier to see humans as so much more than a quick meal. I would always be grateful to her for that and for her instant forgiveness of me for her horrible birthday. And now that she was one of us, Bella and I had a real brother and sister relationship.

I was brought out of my reverie by the plane touching down on the ground. We were finally in Vegas. I sat up and opened my eyes, excited to get off the plane and start having fun. I looked over at Emmett and he was rubbing his hands together, smiling from ear to ear. Edward was grinning slightly, but I could feel that most of his thoughts were still on Bella. At least I no longer had to worry about dealing with his sexual frustration. Edward was apparently no longer afraid to touch Bella. Not that he trusted his brothers enough to confide in us. I chuckled darkly. It was probably a little our fault that he didn't trust us, but really! How could we live with a hundred year old virgin and not tease him? Humans made a movie about a forty-year old one and they did much worse things to the little human man! Although, if Edward did have a hairy chest and it was capable of being waxed, I'm sure Emmett would have reenacted that scene many times over.

"Jasper, why are you blocking your thoughts," Edward asked.

"You aren't supposed to be using your power," I replied.

"We haven't got off the plane yet. Besides, I wouldn't really care if you weren't singing so loud. If you could lower the volume just a little, it would be a big help," Edward said.

"Sorry," I chuckled. "Volume is down and will stay that way."

The seatbelt light finally went off and we got up and exited the plane. All of our baggage had been checked in. We headed down to the claim area to retrieve them.

"What kind of car are we renting?" Emmett asked.

Edward smiled happily and nearly knocked me over with his enthusiasm. "Alice found us a 2007 Mercedes AMG CLS63. She specially requested black with dark tint!"

"That wife of yours has talent!" Emmett exclaimed as he patted me on the back. "Ed, you have to share driving privileges!"

"Fine, but I'm driving first," Edward said. I was a little surprised at how easily he agreed. Edward hated to let others drive. "I'm making an attempt to really enjoy this trip with you and Emmett," he replied to my thoughts.

"Thanks, Edward," I said, patting him on the shoulder.

"Besides," Edward chuckled. "Emmett was prepared to wrestle me for the keys in front of an entire airport of humans. Carlisle would not have been happy about that."

"Esme's the one we would have had to worry about," I laughed as I grabbed by bag from the turnstile. Emmett and Edward did the same and we made our way out of the airport.

Edward headed off toward the left, probably already having picked up the thoughts of the guy dropping off our car. I looked past Edward and saw the car and the guy. I whistled low. The car was a beautiful piece of engineering. It looked as fast as it supposedly went too. Emmett followed my gaze and let out a quiet curse. Emmett was impressed and very excited.

Edward was trying to take the keys from the human and was itching to get in the car. My brother was actually hopping from one foot to the other with impatience. I got closer and found out why. The guy was holding the keys tightly and explaining about the delicacy of such an exotic car and how Edward seemed a bit young to be driving it.

Edward lifted his hand and flashed his wedding ring at the poor human. "I assure you, I am more than old enough to drive myself. I own an Aston Martin. I believe I am more than capable of understanding the value of an exotic car."

Emmett heard too and he ran over to help Edward out. "Is there a problem with the car, Edward?"

"No," Edward sighed.

"Actually," the human said. "I'm reluctant to release the car. This man seems awfully young. Can I see some ID?"

Edward was furious and opened his mouth, but Emmett held up his big hand. "Sir, what's your name?" Emmett asked the human.

"Donovan," the human answered.

"Well, Donovan," Emmett began as he wrapped a massive arm around the little man. "Are you worried about my age?"

"Well … no … not really … you seem old enough," the man stuttered.

"I'll be with my brother here the entire time. So, you see, there's really nothing for you to worry about. Just hand the keys to my brother and we can all be on our way," Emmett explained.

The human was still really nervous, but I think it was no longer about the car. I think it had more to do with the giant vampire hugging him. The man handed the keys to Edward and my brother's jubilation pounded into me. I just shook my head and smiled at him. The only thing that made his emotions stronger was Bella. Lord help us all if she had been here with him for this moment! Edward was barely moving at human speed as he rounded the car and slid into the driver's seat. He'd forgotten all about his bag and left it on the sidewalk. I chuckled as I picked it up.

Emmett opened up the passenger door and told Edward to pop the trunk. Emmett walked around back and helped me get all the bags situated. "Think he's happy?" Emmett laughed as the engine started and Edward revved it.

"I know he's happy!" I chuckled.

"That's because you're gifted," Emmett teased. "You really are special on the inside, just like your mom told you!"

"Don't you ever get tired of quoting John Tucker to me?" I asked as I slid into the shotgun seat.

Emmett's booming laugh filled the car as he got in back. "Nope!"

Edward was grinning from ear to ear and slightly bouncing in his seat. And he thought Alice and Bella were bad! I laughed heartily at him. He ignored me as he pulled out and sped out of the airport area.

"I know what I'm asking Bella to get me for my birthday!" Edward chuckled.

"You don't celebrate your birthday," Emmett informed him.

"I do know!" Edward laughed, pressing down harder on the gas as we got onto the interstate. Edward's phone started ringing. Emmett and I laughed loudly. Edward pulled it out, scowling, but as he looked at the ID, his smile returned. "It's Alice. We all loose!" Edward laughed. He flipped open the phone. "Hey, Alice. Everything okay? Of course you would already know about it. I don't need a party to get gifts. No, I don't. No, I don't, Alice. Fine! Okay! Yes!" Edward slammed the phone shut and growled.

"What did my wife do now?" I asked, trying not to laugh.

"She has decided that she's throwing me a birthday party when we return. If I don't go along and pretend to enjoy myself, she will tell Bella that the car I want is a Ford Focus." Edward's entire body shivered at the mention of the car's name.

"Blackmailed once again by the psychic pixie!" Emmett laughed.

"Psycho is more like it," Edward grumbled.

"Edward," I warned.

"I know," Edward said, rolling his eyes. "You know I love Alice. But don't you ever get tired of how she tricks us all into going along with her plans?"

"I plead the fifth," I chuckled. "That statement is the key to a very happy marriage, boys. You may want to make note of it."

"Well now that we don't have the bet to decide the first game of the night, what do you boys think we should play?" Emmett asked.

"Depends on where we are staying," I replied.

"The Bella-gio," Emmett informed me, pronouncing the first part like Bella's name.

"It's Bellagio," Edward corrected, pronouncing it correctly.

"I know that!" Emmett whined. "I was just having fun. You should try it! You might like it."

"I am having fun," Edward chuckled. "I'm driving!"

"Don't take the long way to get there," Emmett ordered. "We have plenty of time to drive the car and it doesn't matter if you're getting one for your birthday anyway. I want to check in and start playing. What do you guys think about playing craps first?"

"Can you keep your temper in check this time?" Edward asked.

"You're the one with anger issues," Emmett said.

"You're the one who crushed the dice in his bear paw of a hand after loosing," Edward quipped.

"No one noticed," Emmett defended.

"Only because I ran around to the dealer side and replaced them," I fussed. "And then Edward and I had to go pull the security tape!" As usual, I didn't feel any embarrassment from Emmett for his actions, just humor.

"Maybe we should start with poker and remove temptation from Emmett," Edward offered, smiling at Emmett's reflection in the rearview mirror. Emmett poked his tongue out and crossed his arms as a sign of his sulking. I rolled my eyes at him. He really could be a five year old when he wanted. "We could always go down to the Baccarat Bar," Edward offered.

"No way!" Emmett shouted. "That's so boring, Edward! And just like I'm banned from joining in the shows, you are banned from playing the piano." Edward smiled, knowing that would be Emmett's reaction.

"Let's just get checked in and put our bags away," I said. "We can decide on the game after that."

"Too bad this is going to be the only cloudy day," Emmett complained. "I wanted to swim. I love the pool at this hotel."

"We could have waited," I said.

"I was tired of waiting for a week of cloudy days," Emmett whined.

"Then stop complaining," Edward told him.

"Shut up and drive," Emmett retorted. Edward chuckled, happy to have gotten under Emmett's skin.

We made it to the hotel in record time. Edward's disappointment at having to turn over the keys was affecting me. 'Edward, please!' I begged him with my thoughts. He nodded and must have started thinking of Bella, because his disappointment changed to a happy longing. Then again, he could have just been looking forward to driving again tomorrow. I chuckled as we walked up to the counter. Edward and Emmett looked at me, but I just shook my head.

"How can I help you?" the young woman asked.

I saw Edward cringe slightly and knew the woman was thinking naughty thoughts about one of us. Of course, with the lust she was tossing around, it might have been all three of us. I sent a calming wave her way, hoping to keep this from taking all night.

"We have a reservation under Cullen," Edward replied.

She looked down at her computer for a moment. "Yes. I have you booked in the Grand Lakeview Suite. Are you sure you won't need another room? That suite only has two beds."

"We're good!" Emmett said, leaning on the counter. "Ed here lost a bet and has to take the couch. If you could get us that key now, we'd really appreciate it. We're anxious to get over to the casino."

"Not a problem," the woman replied, openly licking her lips as she checked out Emmett.

Edward spun around facing me and trying to hold in his laughter. I was going to have to find out what this woman had just thought! Edward was usually in better control of his reactions to people's thoughts. Emmett turned, holding the key card up high and smiling like he'd just won the lottery. His level of pride was ridiculous for the situation, but that was Emmett! We made our way over to the elevators and into the room.

"Edward," I called. He spun around, not having any clue as to what I wanted since I was still blocking him.

"What?" he asked warily.

"I need to know something … something very important. I can feel your apprehension so just relax. Trust me, you'll feel much better is you just answer my question and confide in me. Just remember that I only ask because I'm your big brother and I care very much about you and …"

"And who?" Edward begged. He was getting where I wanted him, but he wasn't anxious enough yet.

"Edward, this is so hard for me to ask of you. I … I'm not sure if I even should," I said, turning away from him.

He was suddenly next to me, spinning me to face him. "What, Jasper? What's going on? Is this about Bella? Did she say something to you before we left? Does this have anything to do with that walk you guys took last night?" Now Edward's anxiety level was right! He would probably murder me, but this was too much fun to pass up.

"Calm down, Edward," I told him, sending him some of my calm. He relaxed slightly. "I just wanted to ask you if … if …" I lifted my face and smiled wickedly at him. "…if you would tell us what the little human was thinking when she licked her lips and you started laughing."

Emmett fell to the floor laughing his head off and rolling around. Edward stared daggers at me and started growling from deep in his chest. He took a step forward. I took one back and shot some of Emmett's humor at him. I had to get him calm. We were in a small room and he was much faster than me. Maybe I should have thought that out a little better. It just had been so long since I could really get him. I didn't like to upset Bella, so I had gotten in the habit of letting him off easy.

"Edward," I said, holding up my hands as a show of peace. "I'm sorry, man! Really! But I couldn't pass up such a golden opportunity."

"Do not do that again!" Edward snarled, clenching his fists tightly. "This is hard enough without you making me think something is wrong with her!"

I felt his longing and sadness for Bella and the small amount of relief for having it have just been a joke. My prank no longer seemed so funny to me. Even Emmett was sitting up and being quiet. "I'm sorry, Edward." I stopped blocking him. 'I really am sorry. I didn't mean for you to worry. I really want you to have a good time with me and Emmett so you'll want to go out with us again.'

Edward nodded and relaxed completely. "Just for that, you get the couch."

"Ed, we don't need beds," Emmett teased, pulling himself up from the floor.

"No, we don't," Edward agreed. "But I want the room anyway. I know we have our rules and I will respect them, but I am going to use the next ten minutes just to check on Bella. Do either of you have a problem with that?"

"No," Emmett said immediately, throwing me a dirty look.

"Go ahead," I replied. Edward stalked off into one of the rooms and slammed the door shut.

"Bus-ted!" Emmett sang.

"Oh, shut up! How was I supposed to know he was going to overreact so badly?" I defended. "With all the pranks we've pulled on him over the years, you'd think he'd be somewhat used to it by now."

"You hit his soft spot," Emmett said as he started pulling clothing out of his suitcase. "If you hadn't let him think Squirt was involved, he wouldn't have flipped out on you."

"I feel emotions, Emmett, not read minds! How was I to know he would immediately think of Bella?" I asked.

"A person that I normally consider to be smarter than me once said, and I quote, 'She's spent a lot more time as a frail human danger magnet than as a vampire. Edward still feels the need to protect her and worry about her.' That's how!" Emmett replied.

"Point taken. But if he decides to get me back, you can't help," I told him.

"Of course," Emmett said with a very toothy grin. His smugness rained down on me.

"Whatever!" I plopped down on the sofa.

"You should change clothes so we look the part when we head down to the casino," Emmett suggested.

"What part?" I asked.

"Hot, young, rich men looking for a good time," Emmett replied, puffing out his chest.

"And when I tell Rose you had a group of human girls trailing you around the casino?" I asked, arching an eyebrow.

"The same thing that will happen when I tell Alice that you were the one who gave me the idea to join in the Elvis show that I'm not allowed to go to now," Emmett said, smiling wickedly at me.

All right! His confidence and smugness was warranted this time. Alice would kill me if she knew I had put him up to it. She hated whenever one of us got arrested! I personally didn't have a problem with it if it was for a good reason and I wasn't the one in the jail. Like the time Edward and Emmett got arrested for public indecency for mooning me. That had been great! Esme had yelled at them for over an hour after they had gotten home!

Emmett and I had actually had a good time in jail when we got arrested for assault and battery after fighting outside that bar after I lost a bet to him. We had a lot of fun playing a game of our own creation. We called it 'Emo Drunk.' Emmett would come up with an emotion and I would make all the drunks in the room feel it. Lust and giddiness were the best for laughs. Confusion didn't really work since a drunk person can't think clearly anyway. Sadness was a bad idea! Drunks are not pretty when they cry!

I sighed deeply, knowing I was banned from using my emotions on the humans for the next few days. I got up from the couch and went to change clothes. I was going to enjoy this trip with or without my power. Besides, if I kept a close enough eye on my brothers, I would be able to play just a little and they'd never know! And if Emmett got us arrested, Edward might enjoy a round of 'Emo Drunk'.

My phone chirped. I flipped it open and looked at the text message. It was from my wife. It was short and to the point and scared the hell out of me. JailNoMe-5Months. That was all the incentive I needed for behaving and keeping Emmett under control. Sometimes, it was not fun to have a wife with Alice's power. But I loved her anyway! I smiled as I pictured her beautiful, loving golden eyes. Yes, there was nothing at all that I wouldn't do for my sweet little Alice.

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Thanks to VJGM for the use of the arrest ideas. If you would like to know the details, VJGM is writing a one-shot about them. The arrests are first mentioned in the wonderful story Family Therapy Cullen Style. Please be sure to also check out Boycotts and Barflies (a personal favorite of mine!).