I Felt Hope: An Alice and Jasper Story

by Alchemyofanaccident

The story of Alice and Jasper's first meeting all the way up until they find the Cullens.

10. Wild Things

10. Wild Things

Eyeing the sky nervously, Alice had insisted they stop to buy an umbrella on their way out of town.

She handed that umbrella to Jasper now as they exited back onto the street, tucking her pair of scissors into her coat pocket before turning her eyes up to him.

Jasper stepped out behind Alice, after having gotten the door for her as usual. Being well accustomed to Alice's every whim by now, Jasper automatically reached out and took up the umbrella, angling his gaze down at Alice.

"It's going to start raining in five, four, three, two…"

At that precise moment the sky opened up, a torrent of rain falling onto the city. Alice smiled at Jasper, jumping underneath the umbrella with him and wrapping her arms around his waist to pull herself close to him.

On cue, Jasper had the umbrella opened and raised above their heads. A wide grin broke across his face, as Alice danced under the umbrella just in time, right before to torrent of rain came crashing down and pelted their little shelter. Shifting the umbrella to his other hand, Jasper reached behind her and curled his arm around her back and hugged her waist, pulling her closer to him still as they began to walk. "Where to, miss?" he asked, angling his gaze down on her with a wry smile. "Shall we hunt?"

Alice frowned at the rain. They were going to get so dirty and wet and they had just showered that morning. They had no hotel room to go back to either. She could easily get one she supposed and they did need to hunt, especially Jasper…

"Yes, let's go ahead and leave town," she said. She was rather thirsty herself and that was something she wouldn't be able to deny much longer. "We'll have to try and keep the bag out of the rain while we hunt or else we won't have any dry clothes for the morning."

Jasper nodded once, in response. "It shouldn't be too difficult, in the woods," he said, inclining his head toward the bag slung over his shoulder. The fact that they had no hotel room was a slight problem. Their clothes were limited and it wouldn't be long until they ran out of money. He wasn't sure how much they had left, but it couldn't have been much given the ring he'd bought and the amount of clothes they'd already indulged in. Of course, he'd been homeless before and could be again if he had to but it wasn't something he preferred to subject Alice to.

She reached into her pocket and took out the cashier's check, reaching over to the bag slung over Jasper's shoulder so that she could tuck it inside.

"The rest of our funds," she explained with a sheepish smile.

Jasper's gaze landed on the check as Alice moved to stuff it into the bag and almost instantly his expression turned confused. "Wait, what is that?" he asked, turning his gaze to Alice with an incredulous look. "Alice?"

"Well, you remember how I went to the bank in Philadelphia?"

"Yeah..." he agreed, wondering where she was going with this.

"It's the contents of the account I had there," she said simply, handing it over to him.

"Oh, ok." He accepted her words without question, assuming it was just what was left over. When she handed him the check he wasn't expecting much, that was until he held it out in front of him and examined the bank note. His eyes widened in surprise, scanning over the numbers written across the front.

"Two-two… million dollars?" he gasped as his mouth dropped. "How did…where…?" he began to ask, rushing his words together as he turned a shocked look on her. "How?" he asked.

"It's not much. Most of it is tied up in stocks and such but I can get more if you think we'll need it."

"More?" he asked returning his gaze to the banknote, completely mystified. He'd never in all of his years seen this much money, ever. If he would've had a heart beat, it would've stopped.

"Are you okay?" Alice asked, scrunching her nose up at him in concern. She poked a little finger into his shoulder, quirking an eyebrow. "You look like you could be sick which I know is impossible but…"

Jasper continued to stare in disbelief until Alice's voice cut through his trance. He blinked once, moving his gaze over to Alice. "Yeah, I'm fine…" he assured her, still quite shell-shocked. "I've just never seen this much money before. Ever..." he said in disbelief. "How?"

Alice smiled brightly, rather proud of herself all things considered. "Well, I told you that my ability has often proven useful. I mentioned it in Philadelphia, remember?"

"Yeah, you did," he stated, giving her a wry smile.

She plucked the check from his fingers and placed it in the bag. "It was almost entirely made from the stock market. The ability to predict trends and to know when to buy and sell almost makes me feel guilty. But like I said before, if I must be condemned to wander the earth for eternity, might as well do it in relative comfort."

"Smart, very smart," he smirked, shaking his head and lifting an eyebrow as she plucked the check from his fingers and tucked it in the bag.

"Plus, I always make a point to give money to charities and those less fortunate…like the homeless. I know you don't exactly understand but it's important to me."

Jasper's eyebrows puckered together. "Yes, your affections for the homeless…" he said, frowning in distaste. "I don't quite understand it but, if it makes you happy well, then I can't argue."

"They're vulnerable," she said shrugging. "Alone. I know what that feels like. And it's not just them. I like helping people, all kinds of people. It gives this life, such as it is, a purpose…"

Jasper nodded in response. "But their lives are so brief. I can't see how they'd be able to enjoy much. I mean, humans are well…" He trailed off, deciding that she already knew his point of view and he didn't need to repeat it.

Alice shook her head. "You make me laugh!" she declared. "You talk about humanity as though you never were a part of it! I don't even remember being human and I feel closer to them than you do."

"I was at one time, obviously. We all were. But I was brought up to view them as meals and not friends. Emotions were for the weak. No matter how much I've tried I can't get past what's ingrained in my head," he said, with a weak smile and an apologetic look.

"I bet you could," she said, looking up at him with all the innocence of an eternal optimist.

"I can't…" he denied, shaking his head. He couldn't, having tried before and instead coming up empty. But, in some ways, he didn't want to. Remembering his human years would remind him of the life he'd missed out on, the life that had been taken from him so many years before.

"Try to remember, Jasper. Try to remember what it was to be human. You have the memories in there somewhere, I know you do.

"I can't..." he repeated, shaking his head.

"They can't be gone forever. For example…you love me, right?"

He was about to open his mouth, when Alice brought up a good point. "Of course," he said, giving her confused look. "It's not even a question. I know I love you, as if I've always been meant to…" He puckered his eyebrows together, thoughtfully.

"Well, don't you think that the ability to feel love is innately human? A part of ourselves that we got to keep? What sense does it make for vampires to love? We can't reproduce. It serves no purpose for survival. We can feel love because that part of our human selves survived somehow. When I give money to a homeless person, or donate to a charity or even do this…" She reached up and brushed a stray curl from his forehead before cupping his face in her little palm. "It's all because of love. Different kinds of love, but love all the same. I don't remember being human but a part of me still is." She gave him a little smile, staring into his red eyes with her amber ones.

"Well, I suppose…it is a human feeling, yes," Jasper agreed, cocking his head slightly. "It doesn't really make any sense and up until I met you, it was completely unheard of for me," he mumbled, thoughtfully, cutting his eyes to hers when her fingers brushed a stray curl from his forehead and cupped his face. Those very feelings flooded his body as a loving smile stretched across his face. "I never actually thought of it that way..."

The rain pelted down on the umbrella as they walked. Knowing they were destined to get drenched once they started their hunt in the forest to the north of the city, Alice got an idea. Her face lighting up with an elfish smile she darted out from under the umbrella and jumped in a puddle, splashing water back at Jasper's pant leg with a mischievous giggle.

Jasper caught the flash of her smile only moments before she darted out from under the umbrella. "Alice, wha-" But he didn't get to finish, because no sooner then he'd spoke, a spray of water drenched his leg from the puddle Alice had just jumped in. He grinned wickedly, dropping the umbrella and jumping down in the puddle in front of him, splashing up water onto Alice. Laughing, he bent down and raked his hand through the puddle, slinging water at her. "Aha!" he yelled.

Alice shrieked with laughter, throwing her hands out in front of her to shield herself. "Jasper!" she admonished. "You got me way worse than I got you!" She narrowed her eyes, a glint of something sparking there as she regarded him momentarily before she leapt into another puddle near him, completely drenching his pants. With a giggle she quickly attempted to dance out of his reach.

Before Jasper could react, Alice had splashed down in a puddle right next to him and sent a torrent of water in his direction. His mouth dropped open in shock as his pants were suddenly soaked. "Oh, you're going to pay for that!" He laughed out loud and rushed at her, hooking an arm around her waist and swinging her around until they both crashed to the ground in a tangle of arms and legs.

Jasper's arm snaked around her waist a moment before he was pulling her against him. There wasn't time to escape but seeing a vision of what was to come next Alice desperately tried to do so, flailing her arms and legs and screaming in protest. It was all in vain, however, as Jasper fell backwards into a puddle, water sloshing up around them from all sides and soaking her to the skin. She froze for a moment, blinking a few times in surprise, utterly drenched and resembling a drowned rat more than a vampire. She turned her head to look up at him, pursing her lips with a coy smile.

Jasper landed flat on his back in the puddle, splashing water up on all sides, soaking him and her in the process. A wide, wicked grin spread across his face as he looked up at Alice's completely shocked look. "Surprise, darlin'!" he announced in triumph and pulled out her wedding band from his pocket, holding it out. "Want your ring?" he asked, lifting an eyebrow. His blond curls were almost completely bogged down, wet and stringy, now a darker color due to the water.

Alice took the ring from him and slid it on her finger before turning over to lie on his chest, fixing him with a pointed glare.

Jasper suppressed a grin, locking his gaze on Alice's glaring eyes and trying to hide the humor in his own.

"Now who's going to pay?" she asked, wriggling free of his grasp and taking off running toward the city limits with childlike laughter.

Jasper sat bolt upright. "Hey!" he called and got to his feet. He sprinted after her, catching the high pitched childlike laughter dancing in the air.

Alice kept her run to a human pace so as not to draw attention, turning to look over her shoulder at Jasper behind her. A thrill of excitement shot through her at the sight of him pursuing her and she squeaked out a cry as she focused her attention forward, intent on eluding him.

Jasper kept his speed in check, maintaining a slow human pace. It was awkward and unnatural and he was quite confident that if they were running at a more natural speed he would have caught her by now. He clenched his teeth together in determination, throwing all of his focus into her.

The city fell away giving in to a small patch of forest land that had yet to be developed. She darted from tree to tree, her inky black hair hanging around her face and framing her pixie-like features. Her coat was water logged, the sleeves hanging down over her hands as she gripped a tree trunk, peering around it looking for Jasper.

The city lights gave way to forestry, falling back as if they were a faded memory. He increased his speed as they moved beyond the eyes of the city and became part of the forest, however he lost track of Alice. He slowed to a stop, spinning around as his gaze roved the tree tops. She wasn't there. Where was she? Her scent was thick in the area. He could smell her, the sweet alluring scent that put to shame any human perfume…

"Alice?" he called, shifting his gaze through the breaks in the trees.

Spotting him she waited until his back was turned before rushing at him and jumping onto his back, knocking him face first into the mud. She crowed a triumphant laugh, perched there on top of him as she reached up to slick back her wet hair.

He barely had time to react to the sudden movement. The forceful shove against his back sent him reeling forward and face down into the mud with a groan. He'd thrown his hands out to catch himself but it had done no good. They had sunk into the soft, squishy earth. His head came up completely covered in mud as he spat.

"Now that was a surprise!" she chirped, rather pleased with herself.

He growled and reached back, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her off him before slinging her into the mud next to him, his lips parting in a wide grin. "Surprise…" he mused and bent down to plant a kiss onto her forehead.

The stunned look on Alice's face would have been almost comical if it weren't for the quivering of her bottom lip. "I can't believe you did that," she breathed, her voice shaking. "I'm not having fun anymore," she pouted, looking for all the world as though she could cry.

Jasper's mouth pulled down in a frown as Alice's voice broke the silence. She wasn't pleased and she hadn't responded to it like he'd thought she would, her heartbreaking expression pulling at his frozen heart. "I'm sorry darlin', I was just having fun…" he voiced, softly.

"Well, I'm not," she said, her bottom lip sticking out pitifully as she turned her face away, biting her lip to keep from smiling. "Oh wait…yes I am!" she announced, flinging a wad of mud into his unsuspecting face with a howl of laughter.

Jasper puckered his eyebrows in confusion, but before he could sample her mood for any signs of deception it was too late. His eyebrows shot up in surprise as she announced herself and slung a wad of mud in his face. Squeezing his eyes shut upon impact.

Alice quickly turned over on her stomach and tried to claw her way away from him before he could react to what she had done.

"Oh, no you don't!" he called after her, wiping the mud off of his face and scrambling after her. He hooked his arms around her, jumping on top of her and wrestling her until he securely had her pinned.

Alice shrieked as she felt his arms close around her, no match for his strength as he flipped her over and pinned her to the ground. Still she couldn't help but laugh. With his face caked in mud, the only thing visible being his red, glowing eyes and pearly white teeth, he looked like some kind of a ridiculous hobgoblin.

"Now what?" she asked between giggles.

"Well..." he began, lifting a mud covered eyebrow. "We could strip all of our clothes off and hunt au naturel..." he said, eyeing her meaningfully.

"Hmmm, tempting," she purred, pursing her lips. "But I already caught what I want." She twined her muddy fingers in his hair, pulling his face down to hers, her lips seeking his with a desperate hunger.

"Really?" He arched an eyebrow, coming to the sudden realization that she meant him. His thought process scattered however when their lips connected, his mouth working feverishly against the hungry desperation in her kiss.

Their clothes were muddied and most likely beyond repair and the clothes in their bag were probably soaked against her intentions but Alice couldn't bring herself to care about anything other than this man and the feel of his body pressing her into the muddy ground. The rain continued to fall and her blouse clung to every contour of her body. She untangled her fingers from Jasper's hair and ripped his coat from him, raking her hands up and down the muscled planes of his back, his shirt becoming wet with the rain and molding to him like a second skin.

The feel of her fingers smoothing down the sculpted contours of his back almost sent him into a frenzy. He sucked in a breath as he arched his back, throwing himself deeper into the kiss. He braced himself on one hand, snaking the other one up her hip and sliding his hand under the fabric of her blouse. He hurriedly worked the buttons down the front of her blouse, peeling away the thin layer to expose her stomach and chest. His hand resumed position, unencumbered by its obstacle and slid up her waist line. Cupping his hand right at the base of her bust line, Jasper smoothed his thumb over the tender area, all the while keeping his lips welded against hers.

A shiver broke through her at his boldness and she wrapped her legs around him in order to anchor herself, feeling as though she were suddenly falling despite the heaviness of him pressing down upon her. Her fingernails bit through the wet fabric of his shirt and into the marble smooth skin beneath as she fought to keep her senses about her.

The soft, smooth skin pressed beneath his thumb was supple, yielding and left an ache of desire in his soul, a desire that magnified with her sudden invitation. Her legs wrapped around his waist, anchoring herself in place and amplifying the need burning within him. His lips moved in synchronization with hers, feverish and soft. Sucking in a sharp gasp, Jasper drew in her scent, intoxicating and completely overwhelming as he gasped out her name. "Alice…"

The sound of her name on his lips was maddening. She wanted to hear him say it again, the way his voice caressed each sound turning the plainness of her name into something decadent and divine. She shamelessly gripped his back and arched her back, her breath coming hard and fast against his lips. "Jasper..."

The way her fingers bit into his back sent a rush of pleasure down his spine. Her hard pants, the way she arched herself up into him almost sent him over the edge with excitement. Her body solidly cemented to his as rolled his hips against hers, eagerly seeking unison. "Alice…" he gasped. The hand molded at her bust line, slid away and slipped down between them, as his fingers worked off the buckle of his belt and stripped it off. Giving it a sling, Jasper cast off the belt. His hand eagerly moving back down between them to work the buttons on Alice's own pants, working off the top buttons and nimbly slipping his hand inside and manipulating his fingers against the tender skin on the inside of her thigh.

Alice's breath caught in her throat as his fingers danced against the delicate skin of her inner thigh. She bit his lower lip in response, the groan she gave muffled against his lips as she began kissing him again with renewed urgency.

The tension she put on his bottom lip as she caught it between her teeth in response to the sensation he gave her below belied the sheer pleasure he'd just sent coursing through her body. Jasper's hand continued to dance around just inside of her thigh, moving up ever so slightly and skimming just at the edge of her undergarments in a teasing fashion.

She gasped into his mouth as his fingers caressed her through the satin. She arched her back again in a silent plea as she tangled her fingers once again in his muddy curls, drawing him even deeper into her kiss.

"Alice…!" he gasped in a drawn out breath, unable to contain the trembling emanating throughout his body. Her every movement sent a shock wave through him begging him to drive himself into her, a need he wouldn't be able to hold off for much longer. Instead, he threw all of that overwhelming emotion into the kiss, eagerly following as Alice drew him in deeper. the passion in his lips only a glimpse of the passion building inside of him.

The urgency in which she threw herself into the kiss almost clouded over his senses as he met her kiss just as eagerly. He withdrew his hand, sliding it over to cup her hip as he threw himself into the kiss and drove his hips into hers.

The sudden force with which he pressed himself into her, his body molded to her own through the precarious barrier of their clothing, made her eyes roll back in her head, a potent rush of desire enveloping them both. She smiled, knowing he could feel how much she wanted him and knowing that feeling the wave of want that emanated from her would only fuel his own.

The raw emotion exploding out of Alice hit him full force, enveloping his senses and driving his own desire nearly over the edge. The way she arched against him intensified those feelings, pulling him deeper into her. A wild gasp escaped his lips at the sheer shock of overwhelming emotions erupting between them. The high was better than any drug could produce.

She broke away from his kiss and wiggled underneath him, skillfully biting the buttons off his shirt one by one before she peeled it away from him and covered his chest in a flurry of kisses.

As she broke free of the kiss, Jasper arched his back to give her free reign in removing his shirt. The way she worked through the buttons and stripped it off, covering his chest in a multitude of soft kisses sent a shiver through him that all but drove him wild. A sharp gasp escaped his lips, as he pulled her face back to his and mashed his lips back down against hers, driven by the pure need and compulsion that her emotions magnified within him.

Another tug and she successfully ripped away his shirt, tossing the remnants aside with wild abandon as she tilted her head back, gasping and pulling his scent deep within her. He was everywhere, all around her, pressed against her so closely that there was not an inch between them and yet it wasn't close enough to satisfy her.

Alice's eager hands ripped away the last shreds of his shirt exposing his perfectly sculpted back, chest and arms. Her scent lay heavily in the air like a sweet perfume, better than anything mankind could manufacture. The exposure of Alice's neck sent a rush of excitement through him that he couldn't ignore. Lowering his head, his lips sought out her neck and worked hungrily against the hollow of her throat. He wanted to be closer to her even though his body was pressed into her without an inch to spare. He couldn't help it. A burning need to possess her, all of her, took hold of his senses as he rolled his hips against hers, pressing them into her with a marked passion that begged for a closeness beyond this world.

The sensation of his lips upon her neck nearly drove her insane, a soft moan rising from her throat in answer to each of his hungry kisses as she writhed beneath him in mindless pleasure. Her hands fell away from his back, her limbs becoming weak as her legs unwrapped from around his waist and slid down to his hips, pulling them into her in a suggestive rhythm.

Alice's moans cut through the fog of his mind, driving him further into his frenzy. His lips moved more feverishly against the soft skin of her neck, unable to control his need for her. With fierce conviction, Jasper moved up her neck and sought out the tender skin under her chin and worked his lips softly against the spot that seemed to send her over the edge. Her suggestive movements caused a pleasured gasp to escape his lips as a feeling of pure ecstasy shot through his body. In an answering movement Jasper's hips welded to hers, rhythmically moving with her own in a synchronized motion.

Finally unable to take another minute of that delicious torture she reached up to pull his face to hers, claiming his lips with an insatiable need as she slipped a hand between them, desperately seeking the button of his trousers.

Breaking away from her throat, his lips met Alice's with a fierce edge. A sudden surge of anticipation shot through him as Alice's fingers sought out the buttons on his pants, his lips moving in urgency with the sudden anticipation shaking his body.

Alice attempted to slide his pants down over his hips but was loath to give up even an inch of space between them. Finally she ripped them off in impatience, sending the scraps fluttering around them to the ground to share the same fate as the rest of his clothes.

The way Alice's fingers tugged at his pants in urgency sent an overwhelming feeling of impatience through him. His hand clasped securely on her hip before moving up and to the waistband of her slacks, shaking with anticipation. His fingers found purchase against the fabric, curling around the rim and yanking downward, too impatient to work her pants down properly. Instead he shredded them off in an urgent fashion, his fingertips moving against the now exposed flesh of her leg.

A wicked smile curved her lips as they moved against his when she felt her slacks ripped free of her body. Her skin exposed and bare against his sent a delicious shiver through her body as the rain continued to fall over their entwined bodies.

She moved her lips away from his, kissing a line up his jaw and to his ear which she nipped at playfully.

A soft groan rolled up his throat as she broke away from their shared kiss and left a trail of them up his jaw, lingering against his ear, and giving small nips to the point that it almost drove him insane.

"Please..." she begged, her voice a breathy whisper. "Jasper, please..."

"Alice..." he breathed, dipping his head down and skimming his nose across the soft, smooth planes of her chest, her belly and pausing at the border of her satin undergarment. Pressing a kiss to the top of the lacy edge he parted his lips, locking his teeth around the fabric and with one backward yank, successfully ripped them free of her. He spat them out, before lowering his head back down and planting kisses just below her belly button.

Alice couldn't suppress a cry before she bit her lip, her eyes wide as she looked down to find Jasper holding scraps of satin between his teeth like some wild and untamed creature. When he lowered his head to devour the delicate skin of her belly with kisses she tilted her head back in ecstasy, her eyes clouding over just before they rolled back into her head.

The vision was vivid and perfect, everything that had been lost earlier now intact and beautiful once more. She and Jasper together, inevitable and inseparable.

The sounds of the forest echoed around them as Alice lay wrapped in Jasper's arms. The storm had abated, the thick clouds gone to reveal patches of night sky through the trees.

With a sigh Alice rolled over on her side and looked up at Jasper, her porcelain face marred with smudges of mud.

Jasper's eyes were closed and his bottom lip was slightly pushed out. His face was awash with a look of peace as if he were sleeping and, in a way, he wished he could. His thoughts flashed in a blur, dominated by Alice, his only means of dreaming. Forever frozen as he was, sleep was something that would always be out of reach. With Alice nestled securely in his arms, her movement immediately registered with him and his eyes fluttered open to meet her awaiting gaze.

"That was...fun," she giggled, leaning her head back down to nuzzle his chest with the tip of her nose.

He smiled, with a soft sigh of contentment. "Very..." he said softly, his voice belying the complete peace he felt as the forest came alive around them. He lifted an arm as Alice moved to nuzzle his chest and let her get situated before draping his arm lazily around her neck.

"What were you doing just then?" she asked, tracing a finger down the mud caked plane of his abdomen. "You were so still...you weren't even breathing..."

"Thinking..." he replied, quirking a smile. "I guess I kind of zoned out, didn't I?" He chuckled, letting his gaze fall on the lazy movement of her finger against the smooth plane of his stomach.

About what?" she asked, her natural curiosity getting the better of her. She found his hand, watching with complete fascination at the way his long fingers entwined with her little ones.

"You…" he admitted, softly. "Wishing that I could dream... Because, if I could it would surely be about you…" he confided, with a soft smile. He sighed pitifully, wanting so much to be able to do so. "I can fake sleep, but I'll never be able to experience it... If only I could remember how it felt to do so. How much I wish I could…fall asleep with you in my arms and wake up to your smiling face. Or perhaps, I would wake up before you to watch the peaceful look on your face as you slept curled up next to me…"

Alice smiled at his words, wrapping her arms around him to squeeze him close to her. He always seemed to say the sweetest things. "That does sound lovely, however, this way we never have to miss a minute of our time together," she said brightly. "Though I can't recall having ever slept so maybe I don't miss it the same way. I did try it a few times, though. I saw it in movies and thought it looked nice. I didn't have much success, of course..."

"Of course, you're right…" he murmured, a smile quirking his lips. "I would much prefer to spend my time watching you than sleeping..." he offered, letting his fingers slip down her cheek to curl them together under her chin. "And how did it go?" he asked, lifting an eyebrow. "Trying to sleep, I mean…" he clarified.

"I don't think I managed it," she admitted. "As you said, we can't. But if emptying your mind of all thought and lying quietly is anything at all what it's like then I guess I came close. I used to do that quite a lot, actually, years ago. If I wasn't thirsty or having a vision then there didn't seem to be much point to doing anything else. I would lie like that for days sometimes, barely breathing, just lying there..."

"Really?" he asked, his voice burning with curiosity. "Your life was quite empty, wasn't it?" he ascertained with a slight frown. The life of which Alice spoke always gave him a stab of sadness. The loneliness she must have felt, experienced and lived through must have been almost unbearable.

She placed tender kisses along his chest, across his collarbone, trailing them up the column of his throat before finding his lips with a content sigh.

A shudder coursed through Jasper's body as Alice pressed kisses on his chest, trailing them across his collar bone and moving up his ravaged neck. He smiled, meeting her lips with his own. His hand fell away from her neck, sliding up to cup the back of her head and knotting his fingers into her hair.

Alice giggled against his lips before she pulled back with a smile. She gestured at Jasper's hand tangled in the dirty spikes of her hair. "I look a right mess, don't I?" she asked, swiping her cheek with her hand to flake off dried mud.

"You look...absolutely breathtaking, as always…" he answered honestly and slid his fingers out from her muddied hair to smooth them over her cheek.

Alice laughed. "If you mean breathtaking as in scary then yes, I agree." she ran a hand through her hair, feeling dried mud come off in her hand before realizing that the hair she'd just trailed her fingers through was now standing straight up. She rolled her eyes up toward it, pursing her lips and scrunching her nose as she worked to make it behave.

"I mean breathtaking as in utterly beautiful," he mused. "Astounding, graceful and extremely gorgeous…" he complimented, with a soft smile. "You wear mud so well…" he teased. Laughing, Jasper reached up and smoothed his hand over her hair in an attempt to tame it. A frown pulled down his lips when he realized it was going to be more difficult then he thought.

"See?" she said with a frown, clapping her hands over her hair and smashing it flat on her head. "It's utterly hopeless." When she let go the spiky layers went back to standing on end again.

Jasper suppressed an amused smile but was unable to hide the humor in his eyes. "It's cute," he said, reaching up to slip one of the disarrayed spikes between his fingers. "I like it like that..." he mused.

Suddenly Alice caught the scent of something on the air and she perked up, hunger flashing in her eyes. She looked down at Jasper then to the surrounding forest then back to Jasper again, her face conflicted.

The thing that caused Alice to withdraw hung thick in the air. His gaze lifted to her, the conflict in her eyes evident as she darted her gaze between him and the scent. His lips parted slightly and his eyebrows knitted together as if he were going to speak but he didn't, he just followed her gaze in the direction of the scent. After having just fed, he wasn't nearly as hungry as she was but if he wanted to purge the human blood from his system, he knew he'd have to drink animal blood to dilute it. The scent wrinkled his nose but was oddly starting to become enticing.

Alice's expression turned into a delicate pout as she debated what to do. Her thirst flared to near unbearable proportions as the scent of deer burned her throat. In stark contrast to the pain was the irresistible lure of Jasper's arms and the decadent pleasures to be found there. The decision was agonizing.

Jasper's head tilted slightly, watching Alice's conflict. A rueful smile touched his lips as he sampled the mood around her and found two dominant feelings. Hunger and desire, both locked together trying over power one another. The scent of the deer crinkled his nose as always but his throat ached in response to the scent. Perhaps he was hungrier then he'd led himself to believe. However looking up at Alice's enticing form sent out an ache of another kind, a desire that he felt becoming magnified by her own. His eyes remained fixed on her, sliding his gaze up the planes of her stomach, chest, and neck before fixing it on her eyes.

Her eyes traveled once again to the trees as she clenched her teeth against another wave of fire. She was ravenous to be sure but the hunger in her golden gaze was tempered with desire of another kind as she shifted her focus back to Jasper and the appetizing way he lay sprawled next to her on the muddy ground.

Jasper pulled himself up, propping himself on his elbows and turning toward her. He lifted a hand and slid his fingers over the contours of her chest and traced a lazy line down the planes of her stomach. "We should... hunt…" he murmured and scooted down to lay his cheek against her stomach, his eyes moving to her frozen face. "Perhaps, afterward?" he suggested in soft tone.

Alice looked down at him, her eyes flashing hungrily as she considered his suggestion. Eager to get to the "afterward" he mentioned she suddenly pushed him off her and grabbed his hand, pulling him to his feet and along with her as she took off into the trees with him in tow, neither of them wearing a stitch of clothing.

"Eager, are we?" he asked with a humored look in his eyes and a wide smile as she hurriedly pulled him to his feet and took off into the trees. He, of course, followed hand in hand with her. He had to laugh at the situation. Both of them were stark naked, running au naturel, and at the same time he was exhilarated by it. He felt truly in touch with his more feral side.

"Of course," she said, her voice rough with a mixture of desire and hunger.

"As am I…" he replied, noting the tone in her voice with an alluring look. "Soon we'll satisfy both," he pointed out.

"I'm going to hold you to that," she promised, a wild gleam in her eyes as she let her gaze rove over his naked body.

Jasper let slip an alluring smile in response and lifted an eyebrow. "Really?" he drawled.

Alice narrowed her eyes at him and gave him a playful snarl, her expression letting him know that she definitely was not kidding.

Slinking along like a lioness, she darted from shadow to shadow, her head lowered and her senses alert to every sound, sight and smell. She paused for a moment, processing all the information flooding into her body and gauging the best avenue of attack. With a predatory smile she shifted her weight to her left foot, angling in that direction for a several yards before molding herself to a tree trunk and lying in wait.

Jasper moved alongside her, slowing his pace in unison. His body tensed, shifting forward into a crouch as the scent registered with his brain, his eyes fixed ahead, focused. The heavy heartbeats flooded into his ears from a distance as he shifted his weight forward, moving like a lion through the brush, completely silent. Pausing, he sniffed the air again as his muscles tensed and the first glimpse of a small group of deer came into view from the trees. "Six…" he noted in a soft muted tone and slowed to almost a crawl, scoping out possible attack plans.

Alice nodded, never taking her unblinking eyes off their distant shapes. Her muscled coiled in anticipation.

Suddenly, he got an idea. "The trees…" he mumbled, glancing up and launching himself upward and landing in a crouch on the branch overlooking the small group of targets.

Alice decided to stay put on the ground. Jasper's aerial attack would stun the remaining deer, confusing them and making them easier to take down. Shifting into a low crouch she moved through the underbrush with such skill that she made no sound, even as she slipped amongst the ferns.

"Perfect…" he purred with a wicked smile, waiting as a large doe took a fatal step, giving him just the distance he needed. He launched himself out, hurtling down on her with an assassin's efficiency and wrenched his arms around her neck, seeking out the jugular and sinking his teeth into the soft flesh, kneading into the sinew and fat as the warmth of the blood filled his mouth.

Alice sprang as the rest of the deer bolted towards her, easily taking down two with a swipe of her hands and quickly dispatching one and tackling the other. Falling to her knees she sank her teeth into the jugular of the deer that was still alive, the thrill of life shooting into her hollow veins as the deer's blood coursed throughout her body. Draining that one dry, she turned on the other. Though the blood was cooling the wetness of it was a welcome respite from the parched and desolate ache that had filled her throat only moments before. She growled slightly as she took her fill, grasping the deer's neck with claw-like fingers. She was normally quite dainty when she fed but in that moment she felt animalistic, a side of herself she had never really experienced coming to the forefront as she fell back onto the ground panting. Reaching up she wiped the blood from her mouth on her muddied arm, turning her head as she searched for Jasper.

Jasper was just on the edge of the tree line finishing up his meal, the warmth of the blood flooding into his mouth, staunchly thick with the tangy and salty taste. His nose crinkled in distaste but, driven by hunger, Jasper continued to drink deep, pulling out every last drop. His eyes were wild and feral, roving around him in a defensive fashion as he drank, searching out any sign of a threat. His gaze landed on Alice, who had downed a couple nearby. At first the muscles in his body stiffened and he moved to drape an arm over the deer protectively but her scent reached him on the wind and sparked a recognition in his mind, to which he quickly relaxed his posture.

He blurred up, wiping the remnants from his mouth and stepped over the carcass, grimacing down at it before moving across the space separating he and Alice.

Turning her head the other way she spotted him, her mouth still open, her breath still coming in short, hard gasps. At the sight of him standing there, a wild growl rose up in his throat and she sprang to her feet, tackling him into the underbrush. She straddled him, pinning his arms to either side of his head as she quickly found his throat, covering the scarred skin there with a barrage of kisses and bites.

His gaze leveled on hers, noting the animalistic look in her eyes. It couldn't have turned him on more but before he had time to react she was there, tackling him. His back hit the ground with a resounding crash like thunder. Alice had his arms pinned, straddling his lap. A low animalistic growl escaped his throat in response to her sudden onslaught of kisses. A new thrill of excitement shot through him as he sucked in a breath of her scent, the enticing smell drawing deep into his unused lungs and filling his head with a dizzy feeling. The heightened sensations after the hunt combined with Alice's emotional climate sent a shock wave through his body, causing him to arch his neck in response.

Her lips moved up his neck to the place just below his ear, her tongue darting out to swirl along the skin there before she attacked his earlobe, gripping it between her teeth and growling again as her mouth pressed against his ear.

He shuddered in response, letting loose a soft growl in response as Alice swept her tongue along the sensitive skin behind his ear. His bottom lip quivered uncontrollably as he sucked in another breath. "Dear God..." he choked, allowing his eyes to roll back.

"I believe you promised to satisfy me," she purred, arching her back and pressing herself against his chest.

"I did…" he grinned, leveling his gaze on hers with an alluring look in his eyes. A new wave of excitement shot through when Alice arched her back and leaned into him, causing him to suck in a sharp breath. "I have to admit…" he breathed, glancing at his pinned hands, before returning his gaze to her with a wry smile. "This is really turning me on..."

She leaned down to kiss him, nipping at his lips before locking her gaze with his, a wicked sparkle in her golden eyes. "Show me how much," she challenged, digging her nails into his forearms as she returned her lips to his throat, devouring the uneven skin there with hungry enthusiasm.

Jasper's lips met hers passionately, feverishly kissing her before she pulled away and turned a deviant gaze on him. 'Showmehowmuch…' had been her words and the challenge in them sparked a renewed lust within him, only intensified by her nails biting into his arms. He choked out another groan and his eyes grew wide at the sudden sensation. His bottom lip trembled uncontrollably as Alice's lips sought his neck. He arched his neck in response, exposing it to her.

Alice moved her lips as far down Jasper's throat as she could manage while still keeping his arms pinned above his head, her tongue skimming the edge of his collarbone as his chest proved to be out of reach. Instead she traced her lips back up his throat to the edge of his jaw.

Arching his neck in response Jasper gasped, the sensation raking through his body like a live wire.

"Still with me?" she whispered with a giggle. "Or have I lulled you into submission?"

"Oh, yeah..." he gasped with a sudden wicked smile and broke free of her shackles and grabbed her by the waist, flipping her and completing the motion in seconds. "Surprise..." he teased with a lopsided smile and lowered his head, pressing his lips to hers.

Alice mouth dropped open to find herself suddenly on her back, pinned beneath him. Her lips curved into a smile against his as this discovery was not all together unpleasant. Her hands now free to do what they will she raked them down his chest, trailing them along the taut muscles of his abdomen and still lower as she bit his lip, opening her eyes to enjoy the look of pure shock and ecstasy she expected to light up his face at any moment.

Jasper's eyes fluttered closed at the completely wonderful sensation of Alice's trailing fingers. He'd grown accustomed to Alice's fingertips dancing across his skin. It was a soothing feeling that sent a chill down to his bones but as his lips moved passionately against hers, her dancing fingers had not been lost on him. His eyes suddenly popped open and his lips froze in an expression of shock and pleasure. If he could blush, he would have. He pressed a quirky smile against her lips which grew to one of embarrassment.

Alice giggled against his frozen lips, taking in his stunned expression. "Problem?" she asked, her voice sweet as she batted her eyelashes in mock innocence.

Jasper swallowed. "No…" he squeaked, laughing nervously and clearing his throat. Still he couldn't ignore the fact that where her hand was placed gave him an immeasurable amount of pleasure. Spikes of ecstasy shot through him with even the slightest movement of her hand. "That um...that feels...good…" he drawled, clearing his throat again as another spasm of pleasure shot through him.

Suspecting that to be the understatement of the century, Alice laughed as she resumed kissing him, her other hand gripping the small of his back as she wound her legs around him. Gasping against his lips she tilted her hips toward him with a longing that caused an ache deep within her she doubted could ever be cured.

When their lips connected, Jasper's mouth molded to hers in such a way as to prevent separation. Hunger and desire brimmed on his lips as he poured both into the kiss. Alice's every sound and movement was electrifying, sending shockwaves of pleasure rushing through his body, so when she tilted herself toward him in such a suggestive manner, Jasper's hand slid down to secure to her hip and pull her toward him as he moved to shift himself into position.

Alice moaned low in her throat, grabbing him by the shoulders and tilting her head back as overwhelming desire caused her to rise up to meet him, her legs securely fastening around his waist and her lips curving in a rapturous smile.

Then sun was beginning to break over the horizon though the clouds kept its rays at bay. Still it filtered through causing the surrounding forest to go from being swathed in darkness to graced with dim light.

Alice trailed languid fingers down the lean muscled contours of Jasper's abdomen, bringing the top of her head to nuzzle under his chin.

Jasper sighed quietly with a contented smile. The sensation of Alice's fingertips against his bare skin always sent a wave of want deep inside of him, penetrating down to the core of his being. The placid smile plastered on his face grew as Alice's head came to rest under his chin. He lifted a hand lazily and slipped his fingers into her muddied hair, then proceeded to let that hand drop lazily to her shoulders and trailed his fingers down her back, the flawlessness of her skin gliding under his fingertips like satin.

Alice sighed in contentment, pressing herself closer to him. There truly was nothing more perfect than this, she thought, breathing him in.

Jasper's smile widened as she pulled herself closer and secured his arm around her, after letting her get situated.

"It's almost time to meet with Antonio," she murmured, laughing. "We need to find something to wear that's still on one piece."

Jasper chuckled, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "I know…" he murmured and secured his arm around her. "Perhaps there are some viable outfits in the bag…" he suggested.

"Maybe," she said, stretching her arms and legs with a happy moan. "I'm afraid they're probably soaked though. We sort of flung it on the ground and it rained most of the night..." She giggled, rolling onto her stomach and propping herself up on her elbows. "I had planned for us to leave town today but I don't see how that will be possible. We can't go much of anywhere looking like this." For emphasis she plucked a stray leaf out of his dirty curls.

"Probably..." He agreed, with a slight frown and eyed the bag just a few yards away. If they couldn't find something to where, there would be a problem. They needed clothes and couldn't walk into town in the nude. "No, not without drawing attention..." He agreed, chuckling, as she pulled a leaf out of his hair.

"We'll just have to go meet Antonio dirty and in wet clothes," she said, smiling. "Who knows what he'll think of that considering he already thinks me a...how did he put it? A strange broad?" She laughed, shaking her head. "That was like something out of a mob movie!"

"Which I told him was entirely inappropriate…" he drawled, with a frown. Broad was a derogatory term, meant to demean women. He understood its connotation and he didn't like it. "A mob movie?" he asked, shaking his head with a chuckle. "Possibly…" he mused.

"I'm thinking we get a hotel and take the day off of traveling. What do you think?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow at him suggestively.

He reached up with a hand and raked his hand through his own hair, knocking out dirt, leaf particles and even a stray twig which he had to meticulously pull out to avoid getting it tangled up in his hair. "Do you know what this is?" He asked, holding the twig out and twisting it in his finger tips.

"A piece of a tree?" she asked, furrowing her brow in confusion.

"This…" He began, puckering his eyebrows together, "is the very essence of life in its most vulnerable form…" he informed, turning it to pinch the little bulb at the end. "From this tiny seed grows the very forest that we hunt in. It's actually quite beautiful to see a tree at its complete infancy..." he said, placing the twig on the ground.

"Are you getting all poetic on me, Jasper Claiborne Whitlock?" she teased, poking his cheek with her finger.

He quirked an eyebrow and gave a lopsided smile. "Sometimes, I tend to do that…" he murmured, with an edge of embarrassment to his tone.

"It's cute," she said, smiling brightly. "The terrifying Major Jasper Whitlock waxing poetic over nature! It's an interesting side to who you are..."

"Why, thank you..." he said, flashing a shy smile. "It's nice that you find it fascinating and not completely boring, listening to me prattle about things that most would consider insignificant..."

She tilted her head to the side, studying him. "What was that thing yesterday about windmills and some woman named Dulcinea?" she asked, her expression confused.

Quirking an eyebrow, a soft smile touched his lips. "Dulcinea Del Toboso?" he mused, lifting an eyebrow. "It's from the old Spanish story called Don Quixote. Don Quixote was a man with a very big imagination who aspired to be a knight. He was completely senile, to most... But he had good ethics..." He trailed off, puckering his eyebrows. "Anyway, he was in love with a bar maiden named Dulcinea Del Toboso, who he held in the highest honor. He read many books on knights and dragon slaying and was completely convinced that he was a knight himself. He'd dress in the roughest of things, manufactured from things he found to make himself look like such a knight and would ride out on his horse, fighting windmills, in the name of Dulcinea... bent on keeping her safe..." He chuckled with a satisfied smile.

Alice's eyes grew wide as he told her the basics of the story, utterly fascinated by it. "How charming!" she remarked, laughing. "I think that's a story I should like. Is it a book?"

"Yeah, it's a book... by Miguel de Cervantes Saavadra…" he replied, with a soft smile. "It's um... a good story…" he mumbled, quietly. "You must think I'm completely nuts," he scoffed, with a slightly nervous laugh. "Here I am spouting off philosophical nonsense about the trees and senile old men who think they're knights," he added, with a slightly embarrassed look.

"No, no!" she hurriedly assured him. "Do you read much?"

"When I get a chance…" he replied with a soft smile. "Although, I have to say I prefer poetry over books. Poetry really makes you reflect on yourself and I suppose, for being just meals, humans have way with words. Well, at least some do…" he said.

Alice smiled at him in fascination. "Really?" she asked, her eyes lighting up. "You get more and more intriguing with every question I ask. You'll have to forgive me if I keep asking more." She traced her fingers up his chest and to his face, running them along his temple and down his jaw line. "There's more of your humanity left in you than you realize," she said, her voice soft. "What's your favorite poem?"

Jasper chuckled, letting a soft smile grace his lips, as she trailed her delicate fingers, along his temple and down his jaw line. "The Road Not Traveled, by Robert Frost..." He replied, shyly and cleared his throat rolled into the poem, his voice caressing each word, as it rolled smoothly out of his mouth.

"Tworoadsdivergedinayellowwood,
AndsorryIcouldnottravelboth
Andbeonetraveler,longIstood
AndlookeddownoneasfarasIcould
Towhereitbentintheundergrowth;
Thentooktheother,asjustasfair,
Andhavingperhapsthebetterclaim,
Becauseitwasgrassyandwantedwear;
Thoughasforthatthepassingthere
Hadwornthemreallyaboutthesame,
Andboththatmorningequallylay
Inleavesnostephadtroddenblack.
Oh,Ikeptthefirstforanotherday!
Yetknowinghowwayleadsontoway,
IdoubtedifIshouldevercomeback.
Ishallbetellingthiswithasigh
Somewhereagesandageshence:
Tworoadsdivergedinawood,andI-
Itooktheonelesstraveledby,
Andthathasmadeallthedifference."

Alice simply stared at him a moment, her mouth hanging open in wonder. She was at a complete loss for words, which for her was rare. "That was beautiful," she said, finally feeling her voice return. "I have to admit that I haven't read much of anything and if I did in my human life I can't remember. As you've noticed my life was rather empty before you... But I want to read these things you love!" She bounced up into a sitting position, her eyes lit up with excitement. "Oh Jasper, promise me when we get where we're going that you'll take me to a library! I've never been but suddenly it sounds wonderful!"

If Jasper could blush, he would have turned a deep crimson. A sheepish look grew on his face as he cast his eyes toward the trunk of the tree beside them. "I wouldn't say that I love it. But, it passed the time..." he mumbled nervously and picked bark off the tree with his fingers.

"How can you not love something you've obviously memorized?" she asked, confused.

Jasper didn't answer right away. Instead his eyes became thoughtful as his eyebrows pulled together. "I'm not sure..." he answered, stripping off another piece of bark with his fingers before turning his eyes on Alice. "My capacity to love…extends only to you. Beyond that, I'm really not sure what other kind of love exists, or if I'm even capable of it…" he said, casting his gaze toward the ground.

"I think you are," she said, lifting his chin to look up at her. "I don't think we lost those parts of ourselves when we changed. You were a good man before you became a vampire and you're still a good man now."

"I think you put too much faith in me…" he murmured, offering a brief, half hearted smile. Something about what Alice had said struck a chord. Perhaps he wasn't trying hard enough. Maybe those feelings really were there and he just simply didn't know how to reach them. "I don't know what my capabilities are, Alice…" he said in a soft tone. "I know what I feel for you is very strong, but I don't know how deep it runs. I just know that I love you…and that's it," he sighed, casting her an apologetic look.

"That's enough for me," she said, running her fingertips over his lips. "And I don't think I'm putting too much faith in you at all. I can just see you for who you really are, inside..."

"Parts of human culture hold some interest to me. Their architecture, literature... But that's as far as it goes with my interaction with them," he murmured, glancing over at her. "But, I would love to take you to a library, if that's what you wish..." he added, with a loving smile. He'd do anything to see her smile, anything.

"Then we'll go to one," she agreed, her smile restored.

He quirked a smile and nodded. "I think a hotel room would be very much needed…" he agreed, after having just completely gone off track.

"Well, come on then," she said, standing and reaching down a hand to help pull him up with a wide smile.

Jasper reached up and grabbed her hand, allowing her to pull him to his feet. He looped an arm around her back and moved off toward the bag on the ground.

Alice bent to retrieve the bag, unzipping it and pulling out a wad of wet clothes. "Oh dear," she muttered. Her eyes widened in alarm as she began digging through the bag again. Finally she pulled out the cashier's check. It hung soaked and limp between her thumb and forefinger. Frowning, she carefully laid it out across her discarded shoe. The ink wasn't smudged thankfully. Maybe when it dried it would still be usable. And if not, well she could always get more money if they needed.

Jasper frowned, moving closer when Alice spoke. The tone was despair and he soon realized why when he caught sight of what was left of their funds, hanging limply from her fingers. He eyed the check when she draped it to dry, noting the untouched ink, before fixing his gaze on her as she dug through the clothes, looking for something for them to wear.

Sorting through the clothing she tossed a pair of wet pants and a button up shirt to Jasper, picking a pair of equally drenched slacks and a button up shirt for herself as well before dropping the bag and slipping into the shirt, quickly working the buttons closed. She turned to face him and assessed his appearance.

Jasper caught the slacks and the button down shirt with ease and draped the button down shirt over a nearby log so that he could pull on the pants. In a flurry of a few quick movements he had the pants pulled up and buttoned. The pants had almost immediately sucked in against his legs and hips, making it difficult to move with such restriction. He sighed, attempting to move around a little before he slipped into the shirt, working the buttons with nimble fingers. The fabric clung to his back, arms and stomach making it irritating to say the least.

"How do I look?" He asked, lifting an eyebrow and turning for her to get the full view, knowing he probably looked completely ridiculous, but there wasn't much choice.

Alice tapped a finger against her lips, her eyes wandering over him with an amused glint. "Silly but still incredibly handsome." She twirled in place wearing nothing but the shirt she had managed to put on so far. "And what of me? I think I can just go traipsing into town without pants, no?" She laughed and bent to retrieve her slacks, shimmying into them and fastening the waistband.

"I wouldn't mind..." He replied honestly and eyed her as she twirled around for him. "Clothes or no clothes, your breathtaking..." he promised, tilting his head slightly.

"Well, thank you but let's not give Antonio another reason to gawk," she mumbled, kicking her shoes right side up out of the mud.

"Not to be inappropriate but his gawking does bother me..." he admitted as a slight frown pulled down his lips. Gawking was rude and inappropriate and he stood by his morals to give women the utmost respect, something that irked him when others didn't abide by the same values. "You're a woman, not a horse the man is looking to buy, and you should be treated as a woman should, no less," he stated.

"My southern gentleman, as always," she cooed, reaching out to cup his face with her hand.

"Always…" he agreed, smiling gently down at her as she cupped his face.

A hat wouldn't be necessary for the sun and even it wouldn't hide the shocking red of his eyes. She fished around in the bag a moment more before her hands closed around her sunglasses.

"Here," she said, handing them to him. "For your eyes."

"Ah, thanks." He replied, slipping the glasses on up over his nose and sliding them into place. The only thing on his body that wasn't drenched.

Alice picked up the wet bag and moved to sling it over her shoulder before shaking her head and chuckling. Jasper would never allow it so there wasn't much sense in trying. "Here," she said, holding it out to him as she slipped her little feet into her shoes.

He lifted an eyebrow, watching as Alice just almost slung the bag over her shoulder. He couldn't help but grin\ when she decided against it and handed it over to him. He wouldn't have allowed her to carry it, so it only made it that much easier when she gave the bag up, instead of him having to ask for it. "Thank you," Jasper replied, catching hold of the bag and slinging it over his shoulder.

She skipped a few feet away to grab the umbrella and, finding it nothing but a useless prop at this point, shoved it inside the bag. "Ready?" she asked.

He smiled warmly as Alice danced back to his side and gave everything the once over, before nodding. "I believe I am. You?" he asked, lifting an eyebrow.

She nodded, taking off in a run for the clearing ahead. When the grass of the field began to turn into paved street he slowed her pace to a jog and finally to a walk, slipping her arm through Jasper's and beaming up at him as they made their way into town.

Jasper ghosted along next to her, slowing his pace in unison with her and smiling widely at her when she slipped her arm through his. Their muddy and unkempt clothes must've been a sight, but he didn't care what anybody thought. Let them gawk in disbelief and whisper. He reached over and clasped his free hand over her fingers curled around his arm.

People stared as they strolled down the street but Alice paid them no mind. She was much too focused on Jasper as he walked at her side. Even covered in mud in wrinkled clothes he looked irresistible.

"What color were your eyes before?" she asked, scrunching her nose at him in thought.

Jasper thought for a minute, puckering his eyebrows together as he always did when he became thoughtful. "Green…I think..." he said, letting a smile flit to the corners of his mouth. "Why do you ask?"

"I just want to know everything about you," she said, shrugging. "What you like, what you don't like, what you think about things... I'm a very curious person if you haven't already guessed and I can't help but be curious about you, especially when I find you so fascinating..."

"I can see that," he chuckled. "Your curiosity is quite cute…" he added as they walked and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "What about you?" he asked, eyeing her with equal curiosity.

"What about me?" she asked, puzzled.

"Well, I mean… What do you like? Dislike?" he asked, curiosity burning in his voice. "What's your favorite flower? Your favorite past time?"

Alice's lips screwed up into a thoughtful pout. "Hmmmm... I like chocolate. Not to eat of course but I like the smell. I used to order a chocolate milkshake every day that I went to that diner. I'd just swirl my straw around in it to stir up the scent." She smiled slightly at the memory.

"Chocolate?" Jasper asked, his expression screwing up into one of confusion. "What does it smell like?" he asked, quite curious. He'd never experienced that particular smell. Chocolate was, of course, a human thing, something he'd never been around.

Alice's smile widened, her eyes lighting up in happiness. "It smells sweet and yet earthy at the same time. It's really rather hard to describe but it's something unto itself that I have encountered anywhere else. I think perhaps I must have liked it in my human life because I have such a strong reaction to it in this one. I'd say we should go get some so you could try it but I saw how you reacted to the popcorn the other night..." She laughed, squeezing his arm.

Jasper's eyes sparkled in mirth, listening quietly as she mused about chocolate and its scent. He was sure he must have smelled it in the diner, but he couldn't remember the scent. All he could remember was her and how she had captured his attention, drowning out everything else around him. Another chuckle escaped his lips when she moved on to the night at the movies. "Ooh, yes... The popcorn," he said, scrunching his nose in distaste. "That's not a smell I enjoyed," he admitted but he had a feeling she already knew.

"I could sort of tell," she admitted with a giggle.

"I wasn't very discreet, was I?" He chuckled.

"No," she said, pursing her lips to contain her laughter.

"I like sunsets. It's all the colors. I guess it's just having vampire eyes that make them so beautiful. I often wonder what they must look like to humans and if they're anywhere near as fascinating through their eyes or if I liked them that much when I was human myself." She frowned a moment trying to think of something else to say. "I like making people smile. And laughter. I love the sound of laughter. I used to sit on park benches and watch children play just to hear it."

He fell quiet, listening to her as she talked. The wind chime in her voice was soothing and quite fascinating, something he'd come to rely on to calm him down in the years to come. "You like a lot of things..." he noted, with a soft smile. "Perhaps, you and I…can watch a sunset together?" he asked.

"We should!" she exclaimed, her gait becoming more of a skip. "Have you ever watched one before? I mean, really watched it?"

The excitement in her mood was thick as a fog in the air, almost tangible. "No…" he admitted in chagrin. "But I suppose the colors would be quite a sight," he added, unable to hide the joy creeping into his own mood. Alice's joy, infectious as usual. But he felt that this was something he needed.

"Oh, just wait until you see it!" she chirped, practically bouncing up and down. "You'll want to look at one every evening! The way the sky turns brilliant shades... It's remarkable!"

He couldn't help the smile that spread across his face at seeing Alice's exuberance. He'd never taken the time himself to actually watch one but, by the sound of Alice's description, it did sound remarkable.

She thought a moment more. "I don't like how cruel the world can be sometimes," she said, her voice sounding hollow as her eyes drifted to someplace far away. "I don't like seeing people feel hopeless or alone."

Jasper's mood fell, mimicking Alice's. The bright eagerness that had been in his eyes only moments earlier had now turned to sadness in reflection of hers. "You're not alone anymore..." he murmured in reassurance and pulled her close to him as they walked.

"I know," she said softly, leaning into his warmth and letting his scent wash over her.

"I'm sorry…" he said softly, sadness in his tone. "That you had to spend so many years alone... I wish that I would've found you sooner," he said, angling his gaze down on her.

"Everything happens for a reason," she said, leveling her gaze on his. "I believe in fate. I believe in it because sometimes things are so destined to be in my visions that no one's will can change it, only alter the path to it. I think you and I were meant to be, just this way..."

"For the longest time I believed what I felt for Maria was love but it wasn't..." he admitted, locking his eyes on hers. "I was brainwashed, under false beliefs that she loved me and I didn't know the difference between love and brainwashing. I knew nothing of the outside world beyond war and conflict. I was under the belief that that was all that mattered and knew nothing of feelings of any sort. I didn't possess them, but as time went on the fog in my mind began to clear and exposed things for what they were. I realized that what we were doing was wrong, Maria was wrong. The executions and killings began to get to me but I still went through with them despite the confliction of my own conscience. I didn't know what it was, just knew that something had changed in my mind and that what I was doing was wrong.

"I started to believe that there had to be something better out there. The depression that descended on me and ate at me nearly consumed me and when Peter and Charlotte came back to get me and told me about the life beyond Maria, the possibilities that existed, I didn't even give it a second thought..." he continued, gauging Alice's reaction. "I held no hope in anything and especially not in fate..." He cut loose a glimmer of a smile. "Then I found you…and suddenly everything seemed right, as if light had just been cast on me for the first time."

"I wish I had existed then. I wish I could have taken you away from all that, made you run away with me instead," she said quietly, reaching down to entwine her fingers with his. "But I'm here now and I won't stop reminding you of who you really are. I won't stop trying to chase all the pain away. Every time I make you smile or laugh, I like to think it's you waking up inside, realizing that that life isn't yours anymore..."

Jasper's gaze fell on Alice's hand as she entwined her delicate fingers with his own and let a soft smile touch his lips. "I would've gone…" he murmured, squeezing her hand gently and raising his eyes back to hers. "Every time I look at you, I wake up inside. When I said I would do anything to make you smile, I meant it. I need to see you smile, to see you laugh. The strength that you give me, the joy you exude, is infectious and I gravitate to you. Your moods are so strong to me that it rips me apart inside to see you upset, feel you upset, that I can't stand to bear it.." he whispered, sighing quietly. "I need you to be happy…" he reaffirmed, squeezing her hand once again.

"Then always stay with me," she said, squeezing his hand back. As she did so, she felt the band of her ring pressing into his hand and her smile widened to know it was securely on her finger again. "As long as you're here, I'll always be happy."

"Of course," he answered simply. "Your happiness is my number one priority," he said, letting a gentle smile flash across his face. Alice was the most important thing in his existence, held higher in his priority above all else, even the need to satisfy his thirst.

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, wanting so much to cheer her. "I love you…" he murmured softly in a velvet like tone.

She tilted her head to look up at him, her wide eyes sparkling with adoration. "I love you, too..."

Jasper just flashed a brief smile and dipped down to press a quick peck to her cheek. His eyes filled with all the love in the world. Love…meant only for her.

"My favorite flower?" she mused, taking her time to flip through every flower she had ever seen in her mind. "Lilies I think," she finally decided. "And to pass the time I suppose I would say I love movies, as you know. It was how I learned how to act human and blend in so it started out as more of a practical sort of thing but I grew to love the beautiful stories they told."

Jasper nodded along and noted everything about her, hanging onto every word as if it were vital information. "Yes, I'm aware of your fondness for movies…" he agreed with a soft chuckle but once again fell into silence as she continued into her list.

"Besides that I spent most of my time having visions of you and searching for the right rainy day in the right place... You don't know how many diners I sat in in how many cities before I finally knew that Philadelphia was where it was going to be!"

"I can only imagine!" he laughed. "Silly girl..." he added, with an amused grin.

"Well I was determined," she said, pulling him to a stop. She stepped into his arms, wrapping her own around him as she pressed her face to his chest, right over his heart. "Having seen what I had, there was no way I was going to let you slip through my fingers."

Jasper came to a halt, watching her with adoration as she drew into him and wrapped her arms around him. A gentle smile worked its way to his lips as the soft tenor of her voice reached his ears. "You've saved me…in more ways than one," he admitted.

"As you have saved me, in every way a person can save another," she whispered, burying herself even deeper into his arms.

"I will always be there to save you…" he murmured, holding her as close as possible. "Even if I have to fight 100 opponents at once, none of them will touch a hair on your head. Not ever," he promised, a hint of conviction layering his tone as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

She smiled as he pressed her to his heart knowing he meant every word. And she did feel safe. Wrapped up in his arms, the whole entire world melted away. It was an overwhelming feeling, one that made her feel completely content and happy, every positive emotion in existence swelling within her silent heart.

Alice's emotions became tangible, thick in the air like a fog. Happiness, contentment, love, bliss and above all else, she felt safe. He felt all of the warmth from her feelings penetrating through him and enveloping his very being, a warmth that he couldn't compare to any other feelings. He drew in a breath of her scent as the sweet smell coursed into him and gave him a feeling complete bliss, the warmth inside of him shown through the blissful smile spreading across his face. "I'll never be far from you…" he promised, drawing her closer into his side and pressing another tender kiss to the top of her head.

She tilted her head, giving him an impish smile. "Promise?"

"Of course," he promised. He couldn't deny Alice anything and knew that no matter what she wanted, no matter the cost or sacrifice, she would have it.

"Good, because you try to leave and I'm tracking you down," she said, narrowing her eyes at him in mock threat. "You're stuck with me for all of eternity so you might as well learn to like it." She laughed, the sound like the tinkling of bells.

"We're here," she announced, lifting her head to motion across the intersection toward the familiar street corner.

"Well, Mrs. Whitlock…" he drawled, turning a lopsided grin on her. "Let's get our papers so we can get married."

"Absolutely!" she enthused.

Antonio was leaning against the same lamp post, a cigarette dangling from his lips as his eyes scanned the passing people. When he looked over and caught sight of them his cigarette dropped to the pavement.

Jasper stifled a laugh, his eyes dancing with mirth as he zeroed in Antonio's emotions. He was definitely surprised and shocked. Speechless even? Jasper shook his head and moved to guide Alice across the street to the spot where Antonio stood, waiting. All the while he fought to suppress a grin.

Alice smiled up at Antonio, raking a hand through her short muddy hair. "Good morning," she said, grinning from ear to ear.

"Did you kids get mugged or something?" Antonio asked incredulously, taking in their appearance again as his eyes scanned each of them from head to toe.

Jasper chuckled and shook his head. "Not quite…" he said, barely able to keep the knowing smile from forming on his lips as he cast his gaze to Alice.

The confused look didn't leave Antonio's face as he reached into his jacket pocket and produced an envelope. He was too flabbergasted to even be rude as he handed the envelope over to Jasper. "I believe the balance of the transaction is $250 and to be paid to me this morning?"

"That is correct," Alice said, digging her hand into the pocket of Jasper's muddy coat. She handed Antonio three one hundred dollars bills and smiled at him brightly. "Keep the change."

Jasper's contentment was short lived. Antonio's blood, heartbeat and scent leaked into the created mood he'd been sporting from Alice, trying to drive him back into confliction. He didn't chance taking a breath. Instead, he stopped breathing all together, shooting a quick, furtive glance to Alice. He turned his attention back to Antonio and forced a strained smile, keeping his teeth clenched to prevent any tainted from getting in.

Sensing Jasper's unease, she wrapped her arm around his waist and leaned into him, her little fingers playing with the fabric of his shirt.

Jasper flicked a slight smile in Alice's direction, knowing by her body language and sudden shift in her mood that she must be picking up on his inability to control himself. He felt compelled to reassure her that he would be fine. "It's ok…" He mumbled in a voice to low for human ears to pick up.

Tugging on Jasper's arm she led him down the street. "That went well," she commented. "Ready to go spend the rest of the day in the lap of luxury?" she asked, batting her eyelashes at him

Jasper gave one last glance over his shoulder as they moved off down the street. His gaze drew back to Alice. "Very..." he agreed, spreading a genuine smile. Antonio had lived and that had to count for something, he thought.

"Of course!" he exclaimed with an excited grin, his entire will crumbling when she turned her most alluring look on him.

"Then I say we go to the most expensive hotel the city has to offer, get their biggest room and barricade ourselves inside until tomorrow morning." Her hand clasped in his she skipped a few paces ahead of him, impatiently dragging him behind her. A few more people stopped to stare as they went past, obviously wondering where in the world they could have come from, as disheveled and dirty as they were. Alice greeted all of them with pleasant smiles and bright hellos, oblivious and happy as they made their way down the street.

"Sounds very... tempting," he mused, cutting loose a carefree laugh as she darted ahead and pulled him along, forcing him to pick up his pace to keep up with her sudden inability to control her excitement. But he didn't mind. In fact, he preferred to see her so excited. Her excitement was like a drug that he would never deny, preferring to relish in the way her features lit up. The contemptuous and bewildered stares that greeted them over the dirty clothes they sported and the intimate way they clung to each other caused Jasper's smile to widen that much more. He cared very little about what people thought. Why should he? Their whispers and accusing looks were misplaced and completely off the mark. Human ignorance, unaware of their true nature.

"Ah, this looks suitable!" Alice said, pointing to an extremely large hotel, the size of several city blocks. "The Drake Hotel. I've heard of it actually. Presidents and dignitaries have stayed here. I bet they've never had anything like us come through the door," she giggled. "This should be fun."

Jasper's mouth dropped open at the size of hotel standing in front of them and his eyes grew wide, like that of a little kid looking upon the grandest thing in the world. "We can afford this place?" He marveled at the sound of his own ignorance. Of course they could afford it and before Alice could even reaffirm it he'd already answered his own questions. "Never mind…" he said, remembering the fat check and the roll of bills still in his pocket and shook his head with an amused laugh. "I doubt they have seen anything like us..." he agreed in an amused tone. Moving up ahead of her, Jasper motioned to the revolving door in a true gentlemanly fashion. "After you miss…" he mused with a soft smile.

"Why thank you..." she said, giving him a little curtsy before stepping into the revolving door and pushing her way through.

"You're very welcome…" he smiled, moving in behind her. "Are you prepared to be waited on hand and foot for all eternity?"

"At first it was a little embarrassing but now I find I rather like it," she said, thoughtfully. "All the leading men in the movies do the same. It's a rather attractive quality."

"Good because it's part of my nature. It's how I was raised..." he said, offering her sweet smile.

"Aha!" Alice exclaimed. "See, that part of you you kept despite everything that happened with Maria, correct? So see, it just proves my point. You were a good man before and you're a good man now. And it goes to show that who you were, your humanity, is not lost." She smiled, pleased with herself.

"I suppose..." Jasper replied, lifting an eyebrow. He hadn't thought of it in that light. But surely if he were good he wouldn't have done the things he had. "In Maria's service, I wasn't the same as I am now," he interjected. "I was cold, ruthless, and couldn't get enough of the battles. In the beginning, I was a monster of the worst kind. You wouldn't even have known me…" he said, regretfully.

As they spilled out into the lobby, Alice turned to him. "Hey, hey..." she cooed, stopping him in his tracks with a tug on his hand. "You said that to me once before and do you remember what I told you? I would always know you, anywhere." She reached up and traced her fingers down his cheek. "I would know this face, I would know these eyes..."

Jasper sighed when she tugged him to a stop. "But, I..." he started to protest only to be cut off by her voice. He couldn't help the soft smile that spread across his face when she traced her fingers down his cheek. There was no arguing with her and, as a gentleman, he knew deep inside that choosing to argue would be against his morals. "You're too good to me..." he murmured as the warmth of her touch sunk down to the depths of his soul.

"I could say the same thing," she replied, tweaking his nose with a laugh.

"These feelings didn't begin to return until later, much later. They're still quite new and I still don't understand all of them. This respect I have for women must've been deeply ingrained in my human life. I must've have been raised on those values for them to come as naturally as they do. It's the only explanation I can come up with…" he said, breaking out a soft smile. "You're quite pleased with your observation, aren't you?" he chuckled.

"Of course, because it means I win," she said with a smug smile.

Jasper rolled his eyes playfully. "Of course you do. You always will," he replied, chuckling.

"Good. So long as we're clear..." she laughed, pulling him forward again.

Pulling Jasper across the lobby, Alice pranced over to the front desk and stood on her tiptoes to see over the high marble counter. "Hello, we'd like a room."

Jasper had to chuckle at Alice's urgency as she pulled him across the lobby. He let her hand go as they neared the hotel desk and stopped a few feet behind her, linking his hands together behind his back. He stopped breathing, determined to keep a smooth expression and not let Alice see him bothered. That much he could for her, to keep her mood as bubbly and childlike as she was.

The impeccably dressed man Alice had spoken to looked up and barely contained a look of horror as his eyes fixed on the mud covered sprite peeking at him from the other side of the counter. When his gaze wandered to Jasper, he lost all pretense at appearing nonchalant. "I'm sorry?" he asked.

Despite the temptation of the man's blood and scent, his mood filtered through. Horrified, shocked and complete taken aback. Jasper couldn't help but let a slight smile creep to his face as the man turned a shocked look on him.

"A room," Alice repeated. "Your finest suite actually, should it be available." She smiled at the man, quite enjoying the shock on his face. "Jasper?" she asked, holding out her hand.

Jasper nodded and swept forward, unlinking his hands from behind his back and slipping one into his coat pocket, removing a wad of bills that he pressed into Alice's palm. He gave a fleeting glance to the man at the hotel desk and backtracked to his previous spot, linking his hands together behind his back again and waiting patiently for Alice to make the transaction.

Alice took the money from Jasper and held it up for the desk clerk, thoughtfully thumbing through it with a suppressed smile. "I wonder if three thousand dollars would be enough?" she mused.

The man stared in open-mouthed shock before lifting a shaky hand to ring the bell on the desk. "John? Could you show these fine people to the Presidential Suite right away?" he asked the bellhop that came to stand at attention. "The price of that suit is only $800, madam," he stammered.

Alice counted out a thousand and laid it on the marble counter. "The price of the room and a tip for your trouble," she said, gracing him with another smile under the streaks of mud that covered her face.

The man looked as though he were about to have a heart attack as he gathered up the money. Alice stifled a giggle as she danced over to Jasper's side. "Darling?" she asked, slipped her arms through his.

Jasper shot her an adoring look, working to hide the amused smile trying to make its way to his face. He concentrated his gaze on her as she slipped her arm through his and reached over with his free hand to clasp it over the fingers curled around his arm. "Shall we?" he drawled.

The bell hop gestured to Jasper to take the sopping wet bag slung over his shoulder, keeping an admirably straight face in doing so.

Jasper's eyebrow lifted in confusion as he gave the man a bizarre look. Finally it dawned on him that he wanted the bag. "I've got it, thanks…" Jasper said, feeling it was his job to carry Alice's belongings. He chanced a glance at her and squeezed her hand.

Alice giggled and stood up on her tip toes to whisper in Jasper's ear. "He's supposed to carry the bag, dearest. That's how he earns his tip when we get to the room."

"Oh…" he said in chagrin, feeling quite embarrassed. If he would have had the ability to blush he would've done so. "My apologies…" he mumbled, sliding his gaze briefly to the bell hop and quirking a smile. He slipped the bag from his shoulder and held it out to the bell hop.

The bellhop took the bag and dutifully slung it over his shoulder, not even wincing when it dripped water onto the carpet and his uniform.

Alice pulled Jasper toward the elevator, biting back giggles the entire way as Chicago's elite gave them a wide berth.

Jasper bit back a laugh as the bell hop slung the bag over his shoulder and dripped water all over the floor and himself. Regaining control and smoothing over his expression almost immediately, Jasper followed Alice's lead over to the elevator and moved around her to press the button.

When the door opened with a distinguished ding, Jasper gestured for her to walk in first and followed suit behind her.

Alice walked in, followed by Jasper and then the bellhop who pushed the button for the top floor. She stood back against the wall as she watched the numbers change until finally the door opened, and she stepped out into the hallway, her hand entwined with Jasper's.

When he and Alice stepped out into the hallway Jasper's eyes drew wide at their surroundings. He'd never seen anything of such royal proportions. He was much too in awe to respond. He drew close to Alice and twined his fingers together with hers when she took his hand.

The white paneled walls were hung with gold sconces, the plush carpeted hallway stretching out to either side of them. The bell hop moved to the right and directed them down the hall until finally they came to an ornate set of double doors. Taking a key from his pocket, the bellhop opened them and swept into the room, standing aside for them to enter.

The grand presence of the hotel continued to baffle him as they strolled down the hall. His awestruck expression only grew, roving around and marveling at everything.

"Interesting…" he commented, eyeing a marble bust of a statue, as they swept past and approached a set of doors that he figured must be their room.

Jasper stepped aside, letting Alice go in first and slipped in behind her. "This is ours?" he asked, clearly taken by the ornate furniture, the golden sconces decorating the room and large layout. Letting go of Alice's hand, Jasper moved over to a likeness of the marble bust that had decorated the hall outside. He puckered his eyebrows in curiosity and gingerly reached out, letting his fingers glide over the slick surface of the statue. He was completely mesmerized by it, unable to break his gaze away from it.

Alice stepped into the marble foyer, and handed the bellhop a few hundred dollar bills she had pocketed in the lobby and thanked him nicely. He stared at the bills for a moment in disbelief before exclaiming his gratitude several times over and showing himself out.

Left alone with Jasper, she skipped over to his side and grabbed his hand again. "Well, what do you think?" she asked, gesturing around them.

Alice's voice broke his concentration. The way she grabbed his hand with such excitement caused him to rip his gaze away from the statue and concentrate it on her.

"It's um…very interesting," he replied, unable to come up with better words. "Very...big." He chuckled, chagrined by his own ignorance.

"You haven't even seen the whole thing yet," she said, grabbing his hand and pulling him out of the foyer and into a large living room. Groups of chairs and couches filled the space which was decorated in creams and golds. "It's pretty," she remarked, looking around the room before tugging at his hand and leading him into the dining room which was occupied by a long mahogany table, a crystal chandelier hanging above it. Seeing as they would have no real use for either room, she impatiently skipped toward the bedroom with Jasper in tow.

"There's more?" He quirked an eyebrow in confusion as she grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the foyer, moving into the living room. Jasper followed close behind her as she gave him the grand tour. "Very nice…" He remarked, with very little interest. Before he could say anything else, Alice was pulling him toward the dining room area. The large space was occupied by a long rectangular table, chairs and a chandelier, the finest of fine dining. But, being vampires, they had little use for it. Alice didn't even bother to stop. Instead, she merely breezed right on through with him in tow. Jasper couldn't help but chuckle.

"Impatient, aren't we?" he implied, as a smile flitted across his face.

Alice laughed, pulling on his hand even harder. "Come on, come on!"

"I'm coming!" Jasper laughed as she nearly began dragging him.

The bedroom, also decorated in golds and creams, was as large as the living area dwarfing the large bed in the center of the room. A couch, two chairs, and a settee still failed to make the room feel cramped. A door opened up into a large master bath complete with a clawfoot tub with gold feet.

"You know what sounds really good right now?" she purred, stepping up to him and running her hands down his chest. She tilted her head back, looking up at him with a wide smile.

"What's that?" Jasper asked, lifting an eyebrow. He couldn't help but conjure a sly smile as he tasted the mood around her. The way she ran her fingers down his chest implied that she wanted to get very close. "Well now..." he cooed, inclining his head to her.

"I would love a nice, hot bath," she said, unbuttoning his shirt with a wicked grin. "With you."

"Well, I think that can be arranged…" he said with a coy smile. The way her nimble little fingers began slowly unbuttoning his shirt sent a rush of excitement through him. He lifted his own hands and slid them up her hips and let them come to rest on her waist.

Grabbing him by his unbuttoned shirt, she pulled him into the bathroom. She slid his muddy shirt off his shoulders, letting it drop from his arms and fall to the marble bathroom floor with a grin, trailing her fingertips lightly over his exposed chest.

Jasper lifted an eyebrow with a knowing smile and followed suit when she pulled him into the bathroom. His shirt slid off of his shoulders and pooled at his feet on the marbled floor. The shiver that ran through him at the very touch of her fingertips on his exposed skin almost caused him to become weak in the knees.

"I'll run the water," she said, standing on her tiptoes to kiss him before she padded over to the bathtub.

"Yes, ma'am," he purred and returned a quick peck before watching every movement as she flitted to the tub and started the water.

She turned on the faucet, waiting until steam began to rise from the water before putting the stopper in. Turning to him, her lips quirked in a smile as she crooked her finger and motioned for him to come closer.

When she turned and motioned for him to join her he felt a sudden jolt of nerves. He steadied himself against the sink and slid off his boots. Next he unbuttoned his pants and let them pool at his feet. Perhaps, it was the stripping in front of her that made him nervous. Normally it was so heated that neither was paying attention to each other with minds so pointed in one direction. He moved over to the tub and gave a quick, nervous nod before sliding down into the water and letting his arms come to rest on the edges. The water felt good against his cool skin, warm and oddly relaxing. He shifted his gaze up to her and let a lopsided smile form on his lips. "Gonna join me?" he asked, in alluring tone.

Kicking off her shoes, Alice reached down and unfastened her slacks in answer, letting them drop to the floor with a coy smile before slowly working the buttons on her shirt one at a time. Never taking her eyes off him, she slowly slipped out of the shirt, letting it fall onto the marble before stepping into the bath and sinking into the water. She leaned back against him, laying her head on his shoulder.

Jasper never took his eyes off of her as she worked off her shoes, her pants and meticulously worked the buttons on her shirt and let it pool at her feet. She was breathtaking, a true goddess among men, and he felt a sudden sense of pride that she was his. He couldn't help the awestruck expression on his face as he moved over and made room for her. A smile curved his lips as he lifted a hand and stroked his fingers through her hair when she laid her head against his shoulder. "This feels nice…" he remarked softly.

"Mmmmmmm," was her only reply. She closed her eyes and laid there for a moment, just enjoying the sensation of the warm water surrounding them as the bath tub filled, the feel of him as she reclined against his chest.

"You like that?" he purred, sliding his hand down between her shoulders and let his fingers trail lazily along her spine.

"Mmmhmmmm." She arched her back, allowing him to slide his hand between them. As the bathtub became in danger of overflowing, Alice leaned forward and turned off the water.

He couldn't help but sigh in contentment as he reclined his head against the back of the tub, letting his senses overtake him. The fresh clean smell of the water, mixed with Alice's scent almost relaxed him to point of slumber. He drew out of his relaxed state however, when Alice stirred and leaned forward to twist the knob for the water.

"Soap?" she asked, turning around and facing him with a languid smile.

He crooked one eyebrow as a lopsided smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Come here, darlin'..." he said, turning her around and pulling her against him. "Allow me."

Alice slowly settled back against his chest, her eyes wide. "Jasper, what are you-?"

Plucking the soap up off the edge of the tub, Jasper held it up with a coy smile. "This…" he said, finishing her sentence and dipping it into the water to lather up his hands. He set it back down from where he'd retrieved it and went to work, caressing his hands against her shoulders and smoothing them down her back, kneading his palms into the soft flesh before bringing his soapy hands back up and smoothing them down her arms.

Alice's face went from surprise to relaxed almost to the point of paralysis as Jasper's hands drifted over her body, slick with soap. As he worked his way from her shoulders to her back, she raised herself slightly off his chest, moaning softly, to give him better access.

The relaxation in her mood caused him to smile. "You like that, huh?" he asked, slipping his hands down toward the small of her back when she gave him further access.

Again Alice found herself almost incapable of answering. Instead she arched her back, another breathy groan escaping her lips.

"Here, turn around…" he instructed, smiling at her.

She obeyed without question, shifting around so that she was facing him, her mouth turned up in a lazy smile.

He lathered his hands again, replacing the soap and reaching over to smooth his hands over her cheeks before trailing them down her neck. He then caressed them down her shoulders, collar bone and glided them over her chest and down the planes of her stomach. "There…" he said, eyeing her appreciatively.

Alice's eyes had been closed as she enjoyed the feel of his hands upon her. When he spoke, she opened them again, looking down to find she was washed clean of mud. Smiling she picked up the soap. "Your turn," she said, working up a lather in her hands.

"You might be doing a lot of scrubbing..." he warned playfully. Closing his eyes, he laid his head back against the edge of the tub and smiled. This was going to take awhile because Alice hadn't been nearly as dirty.

"Well, considering I am the cause of most of this, I think it only fair," she replied, laughing. Setting the soap aside she moved her hands to his face, working through the layer of mud until his smooth pale skin was once again visible. "There you are," she giggled. "I knew you were still under there somewhere."

Jasper suppressed an amused smile, knowing the catalyst had been her act of shoving him into the mud but he wasn't complaining. In fact, he'd rather enjoyed their romp and honestly, a little mud didn't bother him. The moment her hands touched his face and penetrated the layer of mud and came in contact with his skin, a tinge of pleasure shot through him. Every time she touched him, every nerve in his body came alive.

Her hands slid down the column of his throat before massaging his shoulders and the lean muscles of his chest. As she worked down to his abdomen she blushed slightly and bit her lip knowing that he would sense the feelings swirling within her as her hands drifted over the taut muscles there.

"Magic hands…" he moaned with a contented sigh as her fingers, slicked with soap, moved down his ravaged throat, shoulders and down the muscles of his chest. The way her fingers caressed his skin lulled him into relaxation almost to the edge of slumber. A smile broke across his face when she reached his abdomen. The sudden wave of embarrassment became almost as thick as a fog and he lifted his head and slit one eye open. "Are you embarrassed?" he mused, lifting an eyebrow.

"Only because you know everything I'm feeling and by proxy what I'm thinking about," she said, smiling.

"Sorry," he chuckled. "It can't be helped. The joys of being an empath, I'm afraid…" he said, grinning.

She pinched him. "Yes, I'm sure it's horrible…knowing how badly I want you all the time."

"Extremely," he remarked, chuckling.

"Now you turn around," she said, moving back to give him room to do so.

"Yes, ma'am." He obeyed, drawing himself up and twisting around until his back was to her.

Taking up the soap again she lathered her hands up again and smoothed her hands over his shoulders and back, pressing herself up against him as she ran her hands down his arms.

Jasper closed his eyes again as her fingers found purchase against his skin, smoothing over his shoulders and down his back. "That feels…really nice..." he moaned, almost incapacitated by her touch.

She smiled, making circular motions against his back with her little hands. "Your hair is a mess," she commented, reaching over to take up a little bottle of shampoo. She opened it, the clean fresh smell enveloping them as she poured some into her hand.

"I would imagine so. I was in the mud…" he replied, chuckling.

"Lean your head back. I can't reach," she laughed.

"Not a problem," he drawled and tilted his head back toward her as if he couldn't hold it up. "Better?" he asked, snapping open his eyes and grinning.

"Yes," she said, tangling her fingers into his hair with a frown as she scrubbed to get rid of the mud. His mop of blond curls had been made brown but slowly their honey colored hue became visible again.

He closed his eyes with a soft sigh as her fingers massaged into his scalp. The soothing motion of her fingertips taking him to the point of pure bliss as a placid smile touched his lips.

"Would you like me to wash your hair next?"

"That would be nice," she said, cupping her hands to pour water over his head and wash out the shampoo. "There," she said, running her fingers through his damp curls. "All finished."

Her soft voice filtered in through Jasper's fogged mind, a siren's song of pure enthrallment. "Ok…" he murmured, too relaxed to come up with any other words. He snapped his head back up and slicked a hand through his hair, glancing over his shoulder at her. "Your turn," he mused.

Alice's rolled her eyes upward, motioning toward her muddy shock of spiky hair. "Good luck is all I have to say," she said, scrunching her nose.

Jasper twisted himself around to face her again. "Ok, turn around..." He said, motioning for her to do so.

Jasper smirked and picked up the shampoo bottle, squeezing some into his hand. Replacing it back on the edge of the tub, before lathering his hands together and reached forward, massaging his fingers into her hair and slowly working through the mud until traces of her true inky black color shown through.

Alice dutifully turned around and leaned her head back, a little apprehensive about his fingers massaging over her scalp. He would feel and see the scars there again and even though she knew he accepted her just as she was, it made her shoulders tense to anticipate it.

Jasper paid little attention to the scars on Alice's scalp. They didn't bother him, as they would someone else. He loved Alice for everything she was, no matter what flaws she carried. After all, he had his own fair share of flaws. He looked past the apprehension leaking into her mood, as he massaged his fingers against her scalp.

It felt nice, she couldn't deny it. Still her mood shifted between pleasure and tension as she cringed ever so slightly each time his fingers moved over a scar. She took a deep breath, making a conscious effort to relax.

"Relax..." Jasper encouraged, taking note of the tension. "You've no reason to feel tense..." he reassured, retracting his hands and cupping them, scooping up water and running it over her head. "Almost done," he said, a smile flickering across his lips.

"Ok," she said, her voice a little strained. The water washed over her hair and down her back as she took another deep breath, her muscles still stiff. She shrugged her shoulders trying to work the tension out of them as she gave a soft sigh.

Jasper smiled, satisfied as the last of the soap washed from her hair and leaned forward, whispering in her ear. "Relax…" he breathed, lifting his hands to come to rest on her shoulders.

Alice's sharp intake of breath startled even her as his voice was suddenly at her ear, the feeling of his breath there against the sensitive skin making the muscles in her stomach clench against a wave of desire.

"See?" he murmured in a soft tone as he slipped his fingers down her shoulders and traced them down to the small of her back, pressing a soft kiss to the nape of her neck. Jasper displayed a coy smile when Alice's mood suddenly shifted from tense to desire. Continuing to trail his fingers lazily up and down her back he pressed another soft kiss to the nape of her neck.

"Mmhmmm." She moved her head to the side at his kiss, feeling as though she suddenly couldn't hold it upright. He wasn't even using his gift to make her relax but she couldn't resist the way his hands trailed down her back, his fingertips eliciting conflicting responses in her. Relaxation, submission, desire, and an overwhelming need to turn and mold her body to his all warred within her making her shiver.

"Better?" he murmured, pressing another kiss to the nape of her neck as her head lolled to the side.

"Very," she sighed quietly. Every muscle in her body had relaxed to the point that she felt as though she couldn't move even if she wanted to do so. "Are you sure you're not working some empathic trick on me?" she asked as she almost teetered backwards.

"Positive," he assured her, chuckling. "I'm not even using my gift…" he said, moving his hands up to steady her so that she didn't fall.

As his fingers glided over the sensitive skin of her back Jasper picked up the mixture of moods becoming thick in the air, the strength of them magnifying his own desire as he trailed his fingers back up and paused with his hands on her shoulders. "Do you...want to turn around?" he whispered with a soft smile. "Might be easier if you did…"

For the first time Alice moved without grace, fumbling her way as she spun around to face Jasper. She felt as though her limbs were barely responding to her and she almost fell into Jasper's chest when she turned towards him. "Easier for what?" she asked as she blinked up at him, her eyes half closed.

"For this…" he murmured as he wound an arm around her and pulled her to him. He lifted his free hand and stroked his fingers against her cheek as he leaned in and pressed a kiss to her lips. Every emotion inside of him brimmed beneath the surface as he molded his lips to hers.

She returned his kiss, her lips parting ever so slightly as she climbed into his lap. Water sloshed onto the marble floor but she couldn't bring herself to care, not when she was wrapping her legs around his waist and twining her arms around her neck.

"Mmm…" he moaned against her lips as he pulled her closer to him, when she climbed up into his lap. He slid a hand up to cradle the back of her head, knotting his fingers in her hair. He slipped his other arm behind her back, locking her in an embrace when she slid her arms around his neck. The passion between them escalated into a tangible thing around him, swirling into a fog of complete bliss and magnifying his own desire as he worked his lips against hers, parting his own gently.

"I love the way you taste," she whispered against his lips, moving her hands up to tangle in the curls at the nape of his neck. More water splashed onto the floor as she pushed him back to recline against the back of the bathtub, leaning forward to press herself against his chest as she moved her lips to his neck.

"Mmhmm..." Jasper responded, barely able to get anything coherent out. Alice's lips were sweeter then honey, almost to the point where it drove him wild. The sensation of her fingers twining into his hair combined with the sudden pressure of Alice shoving him into the back of the tub caused a shiver of pleasure to run through him. When his back hit the back of the tub Jasper quickly moved to pull her on top of him, unable to bare even an inch of space between them. He tilted his head back, fiercely capturing her lips again and letting the arm wrapped around her drop down so he could press his hand against the small of her back. He let loose a wild gasp when she broke the kiss and moved in on his neck and arched it to expose his throat to her.

As they leaned back she banged her knees against the side of the tub, fumbling awkwardly to readjust her legs and allow herself to stay as close to him as possible. "Bed," she moaned against his throat, moving her legs out from behind him. Her kisses became more impatient, more urgent as she feverishly moved her lips against his skin. "Bed bed bed…"

"Ok…" he gasped, rolling his eyes back. The moment her lips touched his neck he felt a driving need for her flare within him. He lolled his head to the side as her lips moved urgently against his throat. When she spoke his head rolled back around into place and his eyes fluttered open. "Let's…" he said, nodding vigorously and moved out from under her to scoop her up, leaping from the tub and scurrying off to the bedroom.

Alice shifted around in his arms, wrapping her arms and legs around him as she covered him in a flurry of kisses.

Jasper stumbled into the bedroom, weaving around furniture as Alice covered him in feverish kisses, making it extremely hard for him to concentrate. His mind was numb to anything else, only focusing on her. 'Bed, bed, bed...' He thought, a marked determination flaring inside of him as they attempted to get to their destination.

As they stumbled into the bedroom, she pulled with all her strength causing them both to fall back onto the chaise lounge. She never missed a beat, kissing her way up his neck and jaw to bite his ear lobe with a savage little growl.

When Alice pulled him downward, he didn't give it much thought and caved himself down in on top of her gasping when she bit his ear. However, something didn't seem right. It dawned on him that the bed seemed small but the fog in his mind prevented him from comprehending the fact that they hadn't made it that far. Instead he grabbed her chin, pulling her face around to lock his lips with hers.

He quickly flashed a hand down to curl around her calf, hitching it up against his hip. Wait, he thought. When his hand had reached back it had come in contact with a wooden bar causing him to pucker his eyebrows in confusion as he pulled away from her lips. "Oops...not the bed," he said in chagrin, hurriedly picking her up and swiftly making off for the bed, throwing her down on top of it and immediately caving himself in on top of her.

The satin coverlet underneath her was no competition compared with the delicious feeling of his body lying on top of her own. Alice reached up and tugged him by the hair, pulling his face to hers and seeking his lips in a flare of desire. A little growl escaped her lips as she moved her hands to his back, raking her nails over his skin.

The hungry desire emanating between them was almost enough to drive Jasper over the edge. As soon as their lips met he drove himself into their kiss, hungrily moving his lips against hers in an attempt to pour out the desire burning within him. Her fingers knotting in his hair brought him even closer to losing all self control as he pressed her into the mattress. His lips parted slightly as the sweet taste of her own sent a hunger through him that ached down into his bones. He flashed a hand back and curled his fingers around her calf, bringing up her leg to secure it against his hip. An animalistic growl escaped his throat in response to her nails biting into his back.

The way Jasper grabbed her leg, pulling it up against him, made her bring up her other one to hook around his waist. She broke away from his lips to level her gaze with his, her eyes sparking with a hunger that had nothing to do with thirst and everything to do with her need for him.

A wild gasp escaped Jasper's lips when Alice broke the kiss. The emotional climate around her was thick and when he met her gaze, the hunger in her eyes reflected the heightened emotions between them. The feeling of her beneath him, the feeling of her legs around him, left him wanting for more. "Alice..." he breathed, leaning in and whispering into her ear, as he lowered his head down to her throat. He moved in, hungrily pressing kisses to her neck and slid the hand on her hip forward, cupping it against her waist. A broken cry escaped Alice's lips as he pulled her to him, joining them both body and soul.