Yay! I'm glad everyone is enjoying this as much as I am. I also want to say that there will be no Jacob in this story. I'm sorry if some of you were looking foward to seeing him, and I do not hate Jacob. He just complicates things between Edward, Bella, and Nessie. I hope no one minds, but I'm not a huge fan. : )

PS: I didn't do a disclaimer before, but I want to take the time to say that none of these characters are mine. They are the creation of Stephenie Meyer.


Deck the Halls

APOV

The engine in my beyond amazing, perfect yellow Porsche convertible purred as I pressed down on the gas. The tall buildings were beginning to give way to dense trees and a lush landscape as Jasper and I sped down the interstate. I glanced over at him in the passenger seat and he took my hand and smiled as he hummed along with a Christmas song on the radio. I took a moment to enjoy the wonderful sensation of my tiny hand being closed inside his bigger one, a feeling that never grew old.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked softly. I glanced at the road and then over into his eyes for a brief second. I smiled at the contentedness I saw in his gaze.

"Oh, just how happy I am that you came with me today." I said, my smile growing wider. He chuckled.

"It's not like I had much of a choice, Alice." He said, cringing away from me and laughing as I pretended to take a swing at his arm.

"When are you going to admit how much you love shopping?" I asked, trying to make my face appear impatient.

"I do enjoy shopping. But only because I get to be with you." He whispered, his face becoming serious. "I have you all to myself, and that is one of my favorite things." He took my hand into his again and kissed my knuckles gently.

"Well aren't you just a sweet southern gentleman with all the right things to say." I purred, letting the spell of his words wash over me.

"I try my best, ma'am." He replied with a wink and a final kiss on my hand. "One thing I have been wondering this whole time, however," he added. "is how on earth you can see where you are going with things pilled so high in the back seat and trunk." He gestured over his shoulder to the tiny backseat with his thumb.

I glanced into my rearview mirror and saw nothing but boxes. The largest one containing a nine foot tall pre-lit Christmas tree was strapped outside of the trunk and tied down at the sides. Boxes were packed everywhere, and if my car didn't drive so smoothly, the sounds of jingling bells would be heard constantly. I grinned, not minding that I could not see any oncoming cars behind me. If we were going to be in an accident, I would have seen it before we even left Seattle.

"Jasper, honestly, I thought you knew me better than that!" I said, feigning a hurt look. "I don't need to see around me when I drive…we are going to make it safely home and everyone is going to love what we've found. I've seen it all already."

He laughed out loud. "Of course you don't need to see, sweetheart, but we are getting odd looks from other vehicles. I just didn't want anyone to report you to the police for reckless driving." He said the last part in a mumble, as if I couldn't hear it. I scowled into the windshield.

"Reckless driving?! This is not reckless! This was a serious decoration emergency! Everything we have in this car is necessary for perfection!" I said, my voice raising two octaves. I glared over at my husband, eyes shooting sparks and found him laughing.

Laughing. Honestly.

I suddenly realized that I had taken his bait hook, line, and sinker. I sighed, the fire coming out of my eyes, nearly ready to admit defeat. But Jasper reached up and touched my cheek, his fingers as soft and velvety as the most expensive European fabric.

"I love you, Alice." He said, his eyes still sparkling from suppressed mirth. I turned my face into his palm and kissed it softly.

"I love you, too."

We arrived home approximately twenty-three minutes later, and I summoned Edward and Emmett outside to help us unpack the car. Small white flakes were beginning to drift out of the cloudy sky, just as I had seen a few days ago, and I knew my little niece would be ecstatic. Jasper easily ripped the ropes tying the tree down and pulled it out of the truck, tucking it underneath one arm.

"Look at my strong man!" I squealed, mostly for Edward and Emmett's sake as they came around the corner of the garage. I got the reaction I wanted as Emmett stuck his tongue out in a disgusted manner and Edward wrinkled his nose up as if he'd eaten some human food. I smirked in their direction as Jasper leaned down to kiss me.

"Pansy." Emmett coughed lightly as Jasper walked towards the door of the house. Edward stifled a laugh.

"I'm sorry, but if I remember correctly, I wasn't the one standing in front of the mirror earlier today admiring how great a long red hat trimmed in white fur looked on my head this morning." Jasper said quickly. "Now that was cute, Em."

"BUT IT'S FOR NESSIE!" Emmett wailed as Jasper sprinted away laughing. Edward was leaning on the side of the Porsche gripping his side, his eyes closed with the force of his laughter. I rolled my own eyes and began to shove boxes at each of them. Vampire men. They were so much like children.

My point was proven a few moments later when the task of taking in boxes that should have lasted ten seconds turned into a display of Emmett's not -so-acrobatic abilities. Edward was placing boxes on Emmett's head one by one, and they were putting on quite a show for Nessie who was being held by Rose in the front window. As I opened my mouth to yell at my brothers, the idiots, I was overcome with a vision of all of my boxes crashing down, and the precious crystal ornaments in the top one shattering all over the snow dusted ground.

"NO!" I screamed, and was at Emmett's side in a split second. My sudden outburst came as a surprise, and just as I had envisioned, the boxes began to wobble and fall.

"Whoa!" Emmett held the first to his head rather awkwardly, and I dove, barely keeping the top box full of crystal off of the ground. Edward snatched the long, thin box full of house lights, and Jasper, appearing out of nowhere was instantly at my side to help me up off the ground.

"Alice…" Jasper started, seeing the animalistic glint in my eye as I stood and began to stalk toward my brothers.

"My decorations…nearly ruined…shattered…ignorant, stupid…" I began rambling as I took slow and sure steps toward Emmett who was still holding the box on his head and making faces at Nessie and Rose in the window. Edward saw my advances and tapped Emmett on the shoulder quickly, his eyes wide.

"What?" he asked, turning around and meeting my eyes. "Alice! There was no harm done…" He began backing up toward Edward who conveniently stepped out of the way.

"You almost ruined everything!" I hissed.

"Bu-but it was an accident, Alice, I swear!"

I couldn't resist. I pounced on him, arms wrapped tightly around his neck as he turned away. A feral growl ripped through my throat as he began to try to pull my hands off. I could barely hear Jasper and Edward laughing once again, so a sudden screech of tires caught me somewhat off guard a few moments later. A car door slammed loudly, and footsteps where running quickly in our direction. I was just out to poke Emmett's eyes out when I heard Carlisle's voice loud and demanding.

"What on earth is going on here?"


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