A Brief Interlude…

"Did you hear that?" Alice asked, lifting her head off the pillow. "Bella's home," she stage whispered, scrambling off the bed. "You have to go!"

Jasper was still catching up; he sat up on the bed before hearing Bella calling for Alice. "Why?" He asked, disappointment shading his question as he looked toward the sound of footsteps.

"It's not that, it's just Bella thought there was some emergency and if she finds us in here…" she trailed off. Jasper nodded once in understanding and stood up.

It had been the best afternoon of his life. They got comfortable on the bed; Jasper on his back with Alice curled around him on her side, and talked. That was all, but it was more than enough. The more he learned about her, the more he knew he could love her, that maybe he already did. Every time he brushed his fingers over her face, her arm, he could picture himself doing it forever. "Can I see you again today?" He whispered.

"Yeah," she paused to look out her window. "Go down the fire escape and I'll tell Bella I'm going out. I'll meet you outside, ok?" He gave her a slightly exasperated, but appeased, look.

They could both hear the footsteps getting louder on the wood floor as Bella approached the door. Jasper opened the window and climbed out, then leaned back in and grabbed Alice's wrist, pulling her to him to kiss her. It was quick, but deep with the promise of a lot more. He was gone before Alice could get her bearings.

Alice dashed over to the door and opened it, "Hi, Bella, what's up?" She tried to catch her breath.

"Where've you been?"

She'd forgotten to think up an excuse that would be plausible. "Oh, Jasper had a family emergency, didn't want to go alone. Sorry we didn't tell you, but he was kind of in a hurry." She put on her best honest face.

"Is everything ok?"

"Yeah, false alarm." Before Alice could breathe a sigh of relief she realized there was someone else in the apartment with them. She smiled wide, "is he here?!" Alice hoped it would take some of the heat off her.

"Shh! Yes and be quiet, I wanted to check on you. We're going to dinner, that's it, no story."

She decided to push a little, hoping it would distract from her obviously suspicious behavior. "Ok well I'm going out for the night if you guys want to stay in," she smiled teasingly.

"Alice, please don't."

"I need to finish getting ready; can you do me a favor?" She paused, seeing Edward in the other room, "hi, Edward."

"Hey Alice."

"Um, can you grab my wallet? I think it's in the kitchen."

"Ok."

Alice shut the door quickly and ran over to her window, changing into different clothes at the same time. She looked out and saw Jasper on the sidewalk, waiting for her. He wasn't looking up at the window. She left her clothes in a mess on the floor, slipped on some heels to help even out the height difference, though it really wouldn't help that much, and walked out to the kitchen. She told Bella she'd be out late; she had to prepare for anything, and ran out the door to meet Jasper.

He leaned his back and one foot on the wall of the apartment building, staring across the street at what looked like nothing in particular. He looked in her direction as she rounded the corner. He grinned, "did it work?"

"Yeah, Edward's up there with her; she was too distracted to notice anything." She took his hand, "I'll tell her tomorrow, ok?"

He looked at her softly, "ok. So, he's up there with her?"

"Yep."

Jasper pulled her by the hips to stand as close to him as possible, "so I should keep you out really late then?"

She wrapped her arms around him, "looks like it."