A/N: Omai! We don't like Garrett at all. LOL. Well, you haven't met him yet, people! So without further ado...

"I'm not surprised Edward sees it that way."

Garrett Larson was the definition of roguishly handsome - tall, dark, and roguishly handsome. He had a Han Solo grin and a definite grooming problem. His hair was long and scraggly, his face rough with stubble. He exuded the kind of sexy confidence that told Jasper he could charm the pants off anyone - and he knew it.

Under the circumstances he made Jasper strangely nervous and self-conscious.

Garrett chuckled. "That's got to suck, man. I can see it in you."

Jasper shifted in his seat, looking around the coffee shop. He hated this feeling - like everyone was staring at him. "What's that?"

"You have the same look on your face as you did back then - when I first met you." He sat back. "So you're here for that story, then?"

"That's the idea."

"Okay." He rubbed at his scruffy chin. "Well, to be entirely honest, I spotted your tragically straight friend first. That boy flirts with everyone, doesn't he?"

Jasper scoffed. "Yeah, that's gotta be Emmett."

"Emmett. Right. We were at the same camp site and the boy was being downright crude about his hot dogs." He chuckled. "And you... you were being very quiet."

Garrett's tone dropped, and he leaned forward across the table. "It took me a while to notice the way you were looking at me." He shook his head. "If I'd known then what I know now... But it was cute, you know? Real nice. You were so nervous, looking out of the corner of your eye, when you thought no one was looking at you." Garrett tilted his head, his smile teasing. "Checking out this fine ass when I bent over to get a drink."

He winked, and Jasper ducked his head, feeling ridiculously bashful. Edward was right about that, anyway. Garrett wasn't shy about flirting with him openly despite the situation.

"But really, as nice as my ass is, I think these are what caught your attention initially." He sat back a little, tugging something out from underneath his shirt.

Before he could help it, Jasper's hand darted out and he took hold of the dog tags Garrett had taken out. "You're a military man."

"That I am. Discharged now, but, yeah. When you met me, I was all buzzcut and muscles." He grinned. "So I'm thinking to myself, 'excellent. I might be getting me some outdoor sex', and hoping you're a bottom because I don't like getting sap on my hands."

Jasper flinched at his direct words, not quite ready for that image just yet.

Garrett's grin broadened. "This is so much déjà vu..." He sat back again, his arm over the back of the booth. "Anyway, so I finally get you alone. We're talking. Well, to be fair, I was talking, you were stammering and looking annoyed at yourself - not unlike right now.

"It took me awhile to understand what was happening, why your signals were so hot and cold."

His smile gentled, his expression growing serious. "When I figured out what was going on... I did right by you, Jasper. I really did. We took it slow, very slow. But it was worth it. It was a beautiful thing, really. I know you wanted it to be Peter, so I was... honored that you chose me for your firsts. I took that very seriously."

"So what happened?"

"You mean why didn't we last?" Garrett shrugged easily. "Not a good fit. We weren't together for very long... and technically we weren't really together anyway. We had all the physical stuff and none of the intimacy."

Jasper nodded slowly. "Okay. But then when I was with Edward-"

Garrett waved his hand. "Your boyfriend... or whatever has always been prone to exaggeration." He sighed. "Technically, he's right. I did... hit on you when you were already with him, but in my defense, I just didn't realize it was that serious. Last I'd heard at that point, you weren't looking for complication - which makes sense, little baby at home and all. And there you were with a nineteen-year-old kid. It didn't make sense."

Put that way, it really didn't make sense. Jasper ran his hands through his hair, curious about this question that had occurred to him before.

But before he could process that thought, Garrett was leaning across the table again. "So, are things with Edward going okay?"

Jasper snorted, looking down at his coffee cup, rotating it a quarter way round and back. "It's... complicated."

"I guess it would be." He reached out, putting his hand on Jasper's. It was a comforting gesture, or it was meant to be. "It's got to be... Well, I can't imagine."

"Yeah." He chuffed. "It's been interesting."
Garrett backed off again, spreading his arms over the back of the seat. "Well, if you're looking for your third first kiss..." He winked.

Jasper laughed, a little nervous but mostly amused. "Little late on that one, hoss."

"Really?" Garrett's eyebrow arched. "Edward? I thought he was giving you space."

"He's trying," Jasper said honestly.

"Better man than I, I'll tell you that much." He looked at Jasper, his expression open - honest. "He's right to be anxious about you being half on half off the market."

"I'm not on the market," Jasper muttered. "I'm not... anywhere."

Garrett drained his coffee. "Well. Best of luck, Jasper. Really."

~0~

Usually, when Bella was over, Edward was the picture of an attentive father. He adored the little girl. Often times, he reflected that besides Jasper, Bella - six years old or not - was his best friend.

The trouble with that was she was very attuned to him.

They were coloring in the living room, and Edward was trying to pretend he wasn't constantly glancing over at the kitchen where Jasper was sitting, staring at his laptop.

The truth was, he was dying to ask. He wanted to know what had happened with Garrett. No matter how much he tried to convince himself it wasn't his business, he was going out of his mind with anxiety.

Bella pushed him back slightly so she could climb into his lap. She wound her skinny little arms around his neck and looked at him with a hilariously serious expression. "Daddy, if Papa hurt your feelings, you should send him to his room to think about what he's done."

Edward laughed and tilted his head, bumping hers gently. "Have I ever told you how much I love you?"

She rolled her eyes. "Only a thousand times."

He kissed her nose and stood, setting her down on the couch before sitting beside her. "For the record, Papa didn't do anything wrong."

"Then why is you looking at him like he's in trouble?" she challenged.

"Bella."

Bella and Edward looked over to find Jasper had wandered in from the kitchen and was leaning heavily against the wall.

"Remember last week? When I tried to feed you nuts?"

"Nuts make me aner-gic," Bella said seriously.

"Yeah." He ran his hand through his hair nervously. "I know that now. But you know, sometimes I forget things I don't want to."

Bella looked between Edward and Jasper. She beckoned to Jasper who dutifully went to sit beside her and Edward on the couch. When she continued to beckon he put his face near hers.

"When you made Daddy mad before, you cooked his favorite dinner." She was whispering, but of course, Edward heard every word. He turned his face away, covering his mouth with his hand to smother a laugh.

"Well, thank you, baby," Jasper whispered back and kissed her forehead.

"Or if it was a really big bad, you could do like Charlie does. He gives Mommy flowers. 'Cept they're these flowers made of pineapples! And strawberries!" Bella bounced on Edward's lap excitedly.

Jasper's eyebrows went straight up to his forehead. "Who does what?"

"Charlie," Bella said innocently. "He and Mommy kiss."

"Charlie who?"

"Jasper," Edward murmured.

"His name is... ummm." Bella bit her bottom lip, staring upward in concentration. "Charlie... Duck?"

"Charlie Swan?" Jasper asked. He looked up at Edward. "Like Charlie Swan, one of my fellow... I mean, former fellow officers?"

Edward stood, sweeping Bella up with him. "Come on, sweetheart. Do you want to watch a movie?"

"Can I watch Thor? I like Thor."

"You and me both."

Once he had her set up in the upstairs loft with her movie, he went downstairs to figure out what was going on with Jasper.

He was sitting on the couch, scrubbing his hand over his face.

"I'm sorry," Jasper muttered.

"You don't have to apologize to me." Edward sat beside him, giving him a little space.

Jasper gave a little laugh and sat back on the couch. "Garrett was right. You're good at this."

Edward bristled but didn't say anything.

Glancing at him, Jasper grimaced. "I'm sorry. I keep saying the wrong thing." He took a deep breath. "Just from one minute to the next, I don't know how to feel. I still feel like I have some claim to Alice. And I shouldn't." He looked off, his jaw clenched. "Charlie is a good guy. I don't fucking remember working with him, but he came by when I was in the hospital." The skin around his eyes tightened. "Guess it wasn't out of his way."

"He's good to her. It was very recent when you fell."

"It's really none of my business."

"Well, it is your business. If only for Bella it's your business," Edward said soothingly. "For the record, he's good with Bella. Protective."

Jasper grunted and nodded. "Anyway. What I was saying is... part of me still feels like I have a life with Alice. And then the whole Peter thing..." He looked up. "I forget that someone has a... right to feel jealous."

"This is confusing for me, too. I don't have a right to be jealous-"

"Yeah. You do," Jasper said firmly. He looked down, rocking a bit. "Nothing's changed from what I told you the other day. I don't know who I am." He paused. "And I really don't know who you are."

Edward's stomach twisted. He didn't know what to say to that. His heart was pounding, and he felt the last strings he was desperately holding onto slipping away.

"So, I was wondering... Maybe it'd be nice to kill two birds with one stone. You know the things I like, the things I'm missing, and I should try to get to know you. I mean, we're housemates now and all," he tried to joke, but his laugh was too thin.

Jasper looked up, and the expression on his face was nervous, vulnerable. "Maybe we can start by finishing that movie marathon? You were right. I liked it."

For a full minute, Edward stared. One corner of Jasper's mouth quirked up, and he reached across the space between them. Placing two fingers under Edward's jaw, he gently pushed up, shutting his mouth.

"S-sorry," Edward stuttered. "I um... That would be really nice." He looked at Jasper, trying to read the air between them. "I won't fall asleep this time."

Jasper looked down, an alarmingly alluring blush tinting his cheeks. He looked up again from under his eyelashes. "For the record? Before I flipped out on you... It wasn't bad."

"No?"

"No."

Edward smiled slightly, cheered and hopeful.

"And Edward?"

He looked over again.

"Garrett didn't try anything." His eyebrows quirked. "He made it clear he wouldn't mind trying something, but when I wasn't receptive, he backed off pretty quick."

"Thank you for telling me."

~0~

Jasper rubbed the back of his neck, wondering how he was supposed to segue into this particular conversation.

As usual, his nervousness irritated him. Sure, these were awkward questions, but Edward had told him time and again: anything he needed to know.

He hadn't been this flummoxed when he spoke to Garrett - a total stranger who hadn't been helping him get better.

It was the love thing, he realized. It was one thing to ask someone about their physical relationship, it was quite another to consider being in love.

Right then, love was a twisted paradox in his head. He thought he was in love with Alice, and maybe in a way he was - it just wasn't the right kind of love. He knew he was in love with Peter - a love that was all ache when he discovered its existence. Slowly, day by day, that ache was getting easier to breathe around.

Love was an intense thing.

He had no basis for whatever love he shared with Edward, nothing in his remembered psyche that explained why they were compatible.

"Are you okay?"

Jasper looked up to find Edward's concerned eyes on him. They were sharing a pizza. It was Jasper's idea to eat in the kitchen rather than in front of the TV. He'd asked for this specifically so he could talk to Edward, and now he was waffling.

"I was just thinking about us," he admitted.

Edward arched an eyebrow. "What about us?"

"Well, you were nineteen and what - a Sophomore when we met? I'm just trying to understand why a nineteen year old kid would... fall in love with a man like me, a man with a baby and baggage."

For a second, Edward looked a little shocked. Then he glanced down at the table, his lips lifting in a private smile as he chuckled. "I'm sorry. It's just that you remind me of my father. He asked me much the same question when I first told him about you."

He paused as he thought over his words, and then he looked at Jasper, his expression soft, tender. "Love is a selfish emotion. It doesn't think about your circumstances. It doesn't care if you're a nineteen year old boy who maybe shouldn't have thought of tying himself down so young." He tilted his head. "Just like it doesn't care if you're a man with a baby and a life getting wrapped up in a kid who didn't know what the hell his future looked like." He gave a little shrug and looked back down at his pizza. "I don't think love is supposed to make sense, Jasper. You fall in love first and deal with the logistics afterward... if you can."

Jasper felt unreasonably floored by Edward's monologue - just a little stunned. There was something about the eloquence that left Jasper rather charmed.

He cleared his throat and swallowed. "Obviously, we dealt with it."

Edward nodded slowly. "It was simple and complicated," he said with a small smile. "You told me once you asked me out because you thought I was cute-" He rolled his eyes. "-and because you really did have this urge to keep me out of trouble."

Putting down his pizza, Edward put his elbows on the table and rested his chin on his hands, looking off into the distance. "I'd broken up with Benjamin not that long before you arrested me."

"Benjamin... like the guy you were hanging out with the other day?" Jasper asked. His stomach clenched - a similar reaction as he'd had when he heard about Alice and Charlie Swan. He ducked his head quickly when Edward gave him a look. "Sorry," he muttered. "None of my business."

"Well, to answer your question - yes. It's the same Benjamin. Things are, obviously, better between us." He sighed. "We never should have been together. He was a TA - not for any of my classes, mind you - and I was a Freshman. I thought he was brilliant and mistook admiration and attraction for love. And when it was over, I went into a..." he searched for words, "self-imposed tailspin. It happens a lot in college, when you discover you know absolutely nothing about the world or yourself."

Jasper snorted quietly, understanding that emotion quite well.

"So, of course I was vulnerable, and that was when James found me." He looked up and smiled at Jasper. "You were right, of course. You've always been a good judge of character. James preyed on that kind of vulnerability."

Amusement lit his features as he continued. "Anyway. Maybe it was the idea of seeing you in that uniform again," Edward teased. "But I called you. We had lunch - sadly without the uniform - and I suppose I wasn't as much of a stuttering fool as I thought I was because you looked like you wanted to kiss me. You said since we were such good dining buddies, we should have dinner, too. We did."

Caught up in the simple story, Jasper found himself leaning across the table. "Did I kiss you then?" he asked, meaning to make it a joke, but finding the words came out heavier than he wanted them to.

The way Edward looked at him then, Jasper felt a smattering of butterflies flutter in his stomach. Edward's smile was wistful, but his eyes were intense. "You did."

Jasper licked his lips, his throat feeling tight. "And then?"

Edward sighed again. "Then you went home." He paused for a beat. "So I called you again the next day and told you if you were really committed to keeping me out of trouble, you would meet me for lunch again. You did. And there was more kissing. And more lunches, dinners, and other little dates." He looked at Jasper from under his eyelashes. "And then there were... more than kisses."

Jasper rubbed the back of his neck, not quite comfortable but not repulsed either. Actually, he was feeling a little piqued.

"We kind of did this dance for a while, both of us not wanting to admit we were falling," Edward continued quietly. "I didn't want to make the same mistake I had with Benjamin. Here you were, another slightly older man whom I admired greatly. I thought I loved you, but I didn't want to be foolish again. And you, I think, didn't want to get serious with a nineteen-year-old when you knew you couldn't be trooping men in and out of Bella's life.

"But then, one day, things got complicated too quickly. We'd made plans for me to come over to your place... which you completely forgot about when Alice dropped Bella on your lap unexpectedly." A small, adoring smile played on Edward's lips. "That was when I finally met Bella, whom you'd been keeping away from me to that point.

"You told me later you were sure I'd go running when I saw the reality of your life. I mean, most of my friends were partying every weekend," Edward chuckled. "But then again, getting thrown in jail for a night cured me of that impulse anyway." He sighed, obviously caught up in his memories. "And of course, your worries were unfounded. I adored Bella. I think I fell in love with her before I fell in love with you, or at least I acknowledged it first."

He looked over at Jasper. "Then... at some point, we stopped thinking of all the reasons we wanted to be careful and admitted we wanted a life together."

The sadness was back in Edward's expression, the longing, and Jasper saw it before the other man looked away. Jasper felt bad. This was another reason he hadn't wanted to bug Edward; he hated adding to his ache.

When Edward looked up again, his expression was carefully light, though his eyes retained some of the misery. "Is that what you wanted to know?"

Jasper nodded. "That helps a lot." He pushed himself to his feet, grabbing Edward's trash and throwing it away. "So... Maybe you can show me this Thor guy that everyone thinks is so dreamy."

Edward smiled more genuinely. "He is so very pretty," he said with mock seriousness, offering his arm to steady Jasper as they made their way to the living room.

A/N: Ooooh jfka06 is going to be SO MAD at me putting Charlie and Alice together. hehehehe.

Thank you to barburella, jessypt, and naelany for their help! And for yelling and jumping and generally making my docs chaotic.

SO!

Thoughts?