Disclaimer: The Twilight characters belong solely to Stephenie Meyer; I'm just taking them out to play.
A/N: I do hope this posting two weeks apart does not continue to be a trend. I guess I should have started preparations for the holidays a bit sooner, so that I wouldn't have to feel like I was a chicken running around with my head cut off. like I have recently. I have two weeks off, starting Dec. 19, so I hope to get a bit of a backlog when it comes to this story. I apologize again for the delay. Also, please forgive me for not responding to your reviews personally. I really enjoy reading them and learning what you think about my writing. Thanks, as always, for being my muses.
Before we begin, you should know that this chapter is probably not what you might have expected to come from this story. The backbone of BB&BN is the relationship between Bella and Edward, but Jasper and Alice play a pretty prominent secondary role. I wanted to give them a little time to figure out their relationship, because I love them so dearly, before B&E come to a resolution (because, do not fret, they certainly will). From Chapter 11 on, it will be all B&E, most of the time. I hope you like the chapter regardless.
Jasper watched as Edward ran his fingers through Bella's hair. Her eyes looked at the TV screen, but they were unfocused, sleepy. Putting his chin in his free palm, Edward leaned his elbow on the sofa's arm, also unaware of the movie wrapping up before them.
Alice shifted, slightly, bringing Jasper's attention back to more important matters. He looked down at the top of her head, smiling at the sight of the hair she obviously spent quite a bit of time on each morning smushed into his shirt. Marveling at how well her body fit into the bend of his, he laughed softly, causing Alice to turn her head up. She looked up at him, her grey eyes sparkling. The look she gave him made him feel like his chest was going to explode. Geeze Jazz, he thought. You've known the girl for less than 24 hours. You seriously need to stop reading Cosmo.
"How do you do that?" he whispered.
"Do what?" Alice's expression turned more serious.
Jasper brushed the back of his hand down the side of her face. She shivered, involuntarily, then wrapped her arms around his waist and snuggled closer to his chest. "Do what?" she asked again. Jasper smiled; Alice certainly wasn't one to back down from anything.
"Make me feel things."
"What kind of things?"
Jasper laughed again. This tiny, pixie girl would be the death of any manliness he had left.
"These kind of things." Jasper took one of Alice's hands off his waist and put in on his chest, over his heart. He held it there while he leaned his face down. He pressed his lips softly to hers, feeling his heart speed up like a hummingbird's wings. Alice gasped. Pulling away, reluctantly, he looked at her. "Those kind of things."
Alice took his hand and moved it to her chest. Jasper felt the warmth of her skin emanating from beneath her thin t-shirt. He drew a finger across her collarbone, which was peeking out from underneath her collar. As he did so, he felt Alice's heart begin to race. She stretched to meet his face, returning his gesture from a moment before. This time the kiss was deeper, he could feel the passion bubbling just beneath the surface. Alice reached up and ran her nimble fingers through his blond curls, tugging slightly. Her bubble-gum tongue flickered out to run across his top lip, her teeth then nipped lightly at the bottom. Jasper felt a low growl rumble from his throat.
This girl knows what she's doing. Jasper pulled back; trying to catch his breath. His heart panged as Alice's expression darkened. Jasper didn't exactly want to stop where he thought this was headed, but a part of him, the more responsible part of him, realized that they'd only known each other for mere hours. He was raised to be a gentleman; listening to and acting upon the other, less responsible thoughts running through his mind would not be proper. He smiled, reassuringly, whispering, "What am I going to do with you, Miss Brandon?"
Alice leaned in toward his ear, her soft breath giving him goose bumps as she kissed his earlobe. Jasper shifted, growing increasingly aware of the effect Alice's actions were having on more than just his heart.
"Anything you want, Mr. Whitlock."
Wait, what? Time seemed to stand still as Jasper's mind worked over Alice's words. His imagination raced to places he'd never dared let it go before. Alice in nothing but one of his button down shirts. Alice wearing only boyshorts and a matching bra, her porcelain skin glowing against his sheets. Alice moaning out his name …
The credits began to scroll across the screen. Alice rose from the loveseat, giggling, as if she could see what images were in his mind. She extended a hand to Jasper. He looked up at her, a bit hesitant, but rose as well, taking her hand and following her lead.
Edward coughed, slightly, stopping Jasper in his tracks. Still holding tightly onto Alice's outstretched arm, he turned toward the couch. Bella was asleep, still in Edward's lap, softly murmuring something about Clark Kent and phone booths. Edward's face held a mix of emotions, the most prominent of which was uncertainty.
Jasper shrugged his shoulders. "She's had a long day Ed. I don't think it would hurt anyone to let her sleep here for the night." He could feel his face turning red as he continued, his voice lower, "Plus, I don't think Alice is going home tonight either." Her soft giggles behind him were like music to Jasper's ears.
Edward looked down at the girl in his lap. "Should I leave her on the couch?"
Alice eased up to Jasper's side. She wrinkled her nose as she spoke. "That doesn't look all that comfortable." Jasper swept his eyes appraisingly over the somewhat ratty piece of furniture. The throw blanket now covering Bella had been strategically placed so as to cover an ever-growing tear in the upholstery. The golden color it had once been was faded to cream, in some places more than others. And the seat cushions were sagging from years of use. Guess that's what you get for spending $25 at Goodwill, he thought.
Alice continued, "Besides, you have to get up at some point anyway. Why not just take her to your room?"
Edward's eyes shot toward Alice at the same time that Jasper whipped his head around to look at her. Her face was a mask of innocence, but there was a glimmer in her eye that Jasper was beginning to realize showed up a lot. Alice just stared right back at him, her mannerisms signifying that absolutely nothing in her suggestion was out of the ordinary.
After a moment of staring at each other, Edward looked down and ran a hand through his hair. Alice squeezed Jasper's hand. She knows she's won. Jasper shook his head, amazed.
Edward got up off the couch, gingerly lifting Bella in his arms. She threw her arms around his neck, nuzzling her face into the crook of his neck, but didn't seem to wake up completely. "Mmm," she murmured. The blush creeping up Edward's neck was the color of a stop sign.
Jasper looked at Alice and smiled. She tugged slightly on the hand she was still holding, taking steps toward his bedroom.
Edward walked in the opposite direction, mumbling something about putting her to bed and then sleeping on the couch.
Jasper let himself be pulled toward his door. Alice giggled again. "Ten bucks he's not out here in the morning."
After following Alice into his bedroom, Jasper shut the door and then leaned against it. Alice let go of his hand, taking a tour of his room. She trailed her fingers across his bed as she walked past it, reading the titles of the numerous books on his bookshelf. She knelt, picking up random CDs from the pile strewn next to his stereo. She opened the player and shut it again, seemingly satisfied with what she found.
Jasper watched, in awe. Everything about Alice was graceful, from the way she tilted her head slightly to read a book's spine or her crouch near the floor. After hitting the play button, she rose and spun around on the balls of her feet; Jasper couldn't help but picture her in a sparkling white tutu, dancing with the other ballerinas in a production of Swan Lake.
"Were you a dancer?" Jasper hadn't moved from his place at the door. He felt like his feet had become cemented in place. As much as his body ached to be close to hers, he just couldn't take the first step. He found himself thinking about the previous night, how nervous he'd been before heading to dinner. He'd wanted to make a good impression; Bella was so certain he and Alice would hit it off. He made a mental note to thank her later.
The first notes of Jasper's new favorite song started playing. He'd been listening to it on repeat all day. Ray LaMontagne's voice sang the words that had never seemed truer than at that moment. Baby, it's been a long day, baby. Things ain't been going my way. And now I need you here, to clear my mind all the time.
Alice took a step closer to Jasper's bed. "I was, and still am. I dabble, from time to time." She tucked one leg under her as she sat and patted the bed next to her.
Jasper swallowed. His confidence seemed to have dawdled in the hallway, and was now stuck on the other side of the door.
Alice reached an arm out, slowly running it down the thin, yet powerful leg bent underneath her body. Jasper watched as she deftly pulled off a shoe that probably cost more than everything in his closet combined. She dangled it off the tip of her fingertip for a second before letting it drop to the floor.
The thud of the shoe on the carpet brought Jasper out of his trance. With unnatural quickness, he moved in front of Alice, pushing the hand reaching for her other shoe aside. "Allow me." He went down on one knee, lifting her ankle toward him with one hand while the other ran down her skin-tight jean-clad calf. He could feel her muscles tense as he raised her foot. He pulled the shoe off, placing it gingerly on the ground next to the other, and kissed the top of her arch. He peered up at her through his blond curls, knowing that the passion he felt for her was reflected in his eyes.
Alice stared, much of the bravado she'd been projecting since they met stripped away. Her left hand shook as it reached toward his chin. Jasper kissed her palm and then rose, putting one arm on each side of Alice's body. She sat up straighter, looking him directly in the eye.
The CD moved onto the next track. How appropriate, Jasper thought as he began to serenade.
"There comes a time, a time in everyone's life, when nothing seems to go your way, when nothing seems to turn out right."
He kissed the tip of Alice's nose.
"There may come a time, you just can't seem to find your place. For every door you open, seems like you get two slammed in your face."
He kissed Alice's forehead.
"That's when you need someone, someone that you, you can call. When all your faith is gone, when it feels like you can't go on."
He kissed Alice's fluttering eyelid.
"Let it be me, let it be me, if it's a friend that you need, Oh god, please Alice, let it be me."
Jasper moved to kiss her mouth, but Alice met him halfway. She flung her arms around his neck, dragging him on top of her and onto the bed.
Jasper felt himself falling, falling out of time and out of place. In an instant, Alice became his Sun. And nothing could make him turn back now.
A/N: So? Do you forgive me for moving a little away from B&E? I know a lot of you love Jasper as much as I do (BASEBALL SCENE), so I hope you've enjoyed this peek at he and Alice. B&E will return, in full force, next chapter. I Promise.
P.S. - It's my birthday today! :)