Salvation – Stage 3
Written by: Snow Illusion
Summary: Jasper and Alice spend some quality time with Nessie.
Stage 3
Story
*
A soft, melodious yawn punctuated the air.
I turned to look at the source of the sound, even though I knew exactly where it originated from. It would be the only person who could become exhausted at all in this house full of vampires.
Nessie was cuddled against Bella, who was in turn happily snuggled in the crook of Edward's arm. It was a perfect family photo. Light snow drifted behind the southern glass wall and framed the three immortals in a flaky splendor.
Edward couldn't help but smile at his daughter.
"I think she's ready for bed," he commented before unraveling his arm from Bella's shoulder. Bella nodded in agreement and reached for her.
Nessie pulled away immediately and Bella knitted her mahogany eyebrows in clear confusion.
"C'mon honey," she tried again, outstretching a pair of pale, considerably strong arms, but Nessie made yet another noise, this one filled with refusal. Bella shook her head. "Let's go back to the cottage, Reneesme. Daddy and I will come with you."
Before Bella had caught a hold of Nessie, the tiny half vampire counteracted her grab with one of her own hands placed delicately on Bella's cheekbone. Bella froze in place for a moment before her lips split into a grin. Nessie smiled in return when her mother finally understood her intentions.
Bella's now golden eyes unexpectedly turned towards mine. I cocked my head and waited for her explanation of Nessie's thoughts.
"She wants you, Jasper."
She giggled at what could only be my facial response. I felt my eyes bug and my mouth fell open, slightly agape. She wanted me?
"Why?" I asked, completely befuddled. With only the speed an immortal possessed, Bella gingerly held Nessie to her chest and deposited her into my vacant lap.
Nessie looked up, blinking her round chocolate eyes that bored deep into mine. The corner of her lips twirled into a crooked smile eerily reminiscent of her father's. A few rich curls of her bronze colored hair twisted behind her and fell onto my legs as she tilted her chin back. I knew what to expect when I felt her warm palm on my cheek.
I closed my eyes peacefully as one of Nessie's memories played in my mind. It had happened a few weeks earlier on a night quite like this one, and Alice and I were cuddled in the house's study on a green, plushy armchair, the only light in the room a flickering candle. The study was a large, square room, lined wall to wall with books and tomes. There were a few places to read, learn, or study: Alice and I's current position one of them, and also two desks, one in each corner.
One of my arms was wrapped around Alice's perfect shoulder and the other was holding an ancient, peeling volume between us. My low voice echoed in the recollection. I was reading to her. Alice smiled and turned her face upwards towards mine. I paused and we shared a brief, but sweet kiss. She sighed and returned to my chest as I continued to read.
The memory ended there and I was sad it did. I cleared my vision and took another look at Nessie who was nodding. I understood what she wanted now. She wanted a bedtime story.
I couldn't help but chuckle as I stood to my feet from my seat on the couch and placed Nessie's tiny arms around my neck. I held her around her bottom and close to my concrete chest as I ascended the grand staircase leading to the study.
Alice was waiting for us there.
"I should've known," I said softly in a low southern drawl while smiling. She returned my grin with her own beam and relieved my duties by carefully transferring Nessie into her own grip. Alice buried her forehead into a tangle of copper curls and inhaled.
"She has the best scent," Alice breathed and I shook my head from side to side.
"I can think of just one better." I began to pace the study, walking cautiously from one end of the room to the other, trying to pick out meticulously the best story to read to her. When I finally chose the ideal story for the little monster, Alice and Nessie were already reclining on the green armchair. Alice was braiding Nessie's hair and I made a mental note to warn Nessie of Alice's usual routine of turning new relatives into her own personal Barbie when she was slightly older.
Alice looked up as I made my way over and patted the empty space beside her. I took a seat and obtained my customary position. One arm snaked around Alice, her feet bent and rested below her, and myself resting my cheek on the top of her midnight hair. Nessie bounced happily on Alice's lap and then lounged as well. Alice squeezed the little girl tightly. I was relieved to see she was excited.
I cleared my throat and began to read.
My voice echoed slightly and soon began to fill the room. It drifted harmoniously, dropping when I needed it too, rising slightly with each elevated line in the story. I was only a few pages in when Nessie's eyes began to droop heavily. Another yawn from her pierced the room and she smacked her lips.
"Thank you, Jasper," she whispered before she finally closed her eyes for the rest of the night. Her breathing became patterned and heavy and I knew she was asleep.
I kissed Alice's forehead as she held Nessie firmly and played with tendrils of her luscious hair.
I placed the book face down and absorbed the image displayed in front of me.
Alice's lower lip jutted forward and her topaz eyes left Nessie's slumbering form and met mine. "Why did you stop?" she sighed.
I laughed again. It was just like Alice to want to hear the end of a children's story.
She relaxed against me as I picked up where I left off. It wasn't until dawn that the three of us moved, and we had felt no need to before then.
A/N: Thanks for reading guys! And just to give you a heads up, the more reviews I get, the more motivated I am to write the next chapter, and I've got plenty of ideas. ;) Just throwin' it out there. Thanks again and stay tuned for more!
