*Thank you for my sweet reviews…*

December 25th, 2003-

Yesterday was Christmas Eve. And, as a Christmas gift, Alice told me to go see Audrey…her mother would not be home until morning and I could spend hours with her, telling all the things I had been waiting to tell her. She even gave me a gift to give her…a camera & a photo album.

"Jasper Hale!" she had said, her voice full of surprise as she had opened the door for me. Instantly her arms had been around me.

"You've gotten taller." I laughed as she let me into her home. She stared at me for a few moments before speaking.

"You haven't changed one bit." She frowned. As if she had been wondering as to why that was. She was very observant, my Audrey. Yes, my Audrey.

"Come, we have much to talk about…and I do not have much time. And, neither do you…" I said and that was my first slip up.

"How did you know?"

"Just, let me explain okay?" She led me to her bedroom.…her mother was still running the bed and breakfast business and her room was on the third floor. She said that nearly all the guests were out for the evening. Some big party in the city. She had sat on the bed and waited for me to start explaining everything. As I started telling her my story, she thought it was a big joke for the first five minutes.

"Jasper…you came all this way to tell me that you're a vampire?" she laughed and even though I found it a little annoying and frustrating that she didn't take it seriously, a part of me found her laugh to be endearing.

"No Audrey…what I tell you is nothing but the truth." I said. I needed a way to show her I was telling her the truth. Out of everything I could have done to prove I was telling the truth…running around, showing her the extent of my 'gift' or anything innocent like that…no, I just threw off the shirt I was wearing, showing her every single scar I had…all the same shape...all the same texture as I placed her hand against my skin. Her face had dropped into utter fear when she took in everything.

"What happened to you…" she trembled slightly. I began telling her my life story again...up until present day. She had grown scared when I told her about the early period when I had been changed and how I had killed so many people. But, her emotions changed when I talked about Alice…

"Do you believe me now?" I joked.

"I knew there was something different about you." She began as I put my shirt back on and sitting beside her.

"How so?"

"That day of my birthday…you looked exactly how you did that day when I found you on the rocks. I knew there was no physical way you could remain exactly the same…I'm glad I know now what you are." She breathed a sigh of relief.

"And…you aren't afraid of what I am?"

"No…how could you possibly hurt me? I knew that first day I saw you…you're a compassionate soul Jasper Hale." She said and I couldn't believe it! Me compassionate? No one had ever used that term to describe me. Not even Alice.

"Audrey, did you not just hear what I told you…" I frowned.

"Yes, and personally I don't care if you killed so many people back so long ago Jasper. We can't just stay in the past, reliving all the mistakes we've made…it wasn't really your fault. It's not like you chose to be a vampire…we just need to live in the now. That's what mom says." She shrugged and as if she had put some spell over me, things suddenly became clearer. As if no one had ever explained things like that before to me…the way she said it…it made it all seem true.

"Compassionate huh? That's Interesting. Not even my family has used that word to describe me."

"Family! Oh, do tell me about them Jasper…" she grew excited and we spent the rest of the night talking about our families. I explained to her how my family wasn't technically my family…how we were all the same, and how we had gifts. She was engrossed in it all. She then told me how it was only her and her mother…her father had died when she was very young in a car accident. She told me that she had always lived here on the coast, her mom always having the business for as long as she can remember. How she dreamt of one day traveling the world…and falling in love. She asked me what it was like…falling in love with Alice and I explained it the only way I knew how to.

"It's such a strong feeling…a feeling that I would do anything for her…thinking of her constantly."

"I hope to someday to find someone as charming as you."

"One day Audrey…one day." I assured her.

As much as I didn't want to, I knew I had to leave before the sun rose the next day…I gave her the Christmas present and she immediately took a picture of the two of us.

"Tell Alice thank you very much for my gifts…both the camera and you." She smiled softly. It sort of pained me that she would be alone on Christmas Morning.

"Would you like me to stay with you until you fall asleep?" my second slip up of the night.

"Very much." She beamed, crawling beneath all her blankets and letting me slide in on the other side of her.

"Thanks for keeping your promise." She yawned.

"Anything for you." I placed some hair behind her face so I could see her better before she fell into a peaceful sleep. Her heartbeat was going a little bit faster than what is normal but, she was so young and innocent…so beautiful and perfect.

I cannot bring myself to believe that I have thought such thoughts. Audrey is only fifteen…and while physically I will always remain twenty, I am much older emotionally than that. I refuse to believe I am having any other feelings other than friendship and happiness towards her.

Still, I end this with saying that I left a note on her pillow early this morning.

Audrey-

I hope you enjoy your gift. I will share your message with Alice. Thank you for listening to me and not pushing me away from you. If you ever need me, this is the phone number where you can reach me.

~J.

A part of me is hoping that she never calls me again…for fear that I am getting in too deep with her. But, another part wants her to call me this very second…to let me know she needs me for something or to just merely talk with me.