Sorry I took forever to post this! I got the new Assassin's Creed so I'm being dead serious when I say I've been willingly locked inside my bedroom playing this game until I started having dreams about it lmfao so I'm starting to go through withdrawl for that now. So far I've lasted like...almost 24 hours without gaming :P ...I'm a nerd, I can't help it! Anyways, tell me what y'all think :D some big events are coming up for Alice and Jasper, some I've mentioned some I haven't so get excited!
~Selene :)
"He'll need a cast." Carlisle decided squinting at the X-ray pinups. My Father turned to face the three of us, smiling at Jackson. "You can have a blue, green or pink one."
This, in spite of everything that had happened today, made Jackson grin from ear-to-ear. He happily exclaimed, "Blue!"
Jackson sat on one of the firm beds in the hospital room, bouncing gleefully as Carlisle instructed one of his nurses to get a mould for him. Carlisle passed the girl and I pretended not to see her gawk at him once his back was to her.
My Father put his arm around my shoulder's leading me a stride or so out of the room. "You said Tristan did this?" He asked, the compassion his voice was unfailing, but I could certainly detect the outrage within it.
When I nodded, Dad sighed, shaking his head a fraction. "Do you know how hard someone would have to grab a person to fracture a bone?" It was a rhetorical question though it did make me shudder.
"He jerked it," I explained, "I thought it would be more of his shoulder than his forearm." Carlisle became pensive, pursing his lips and running a smooth palm over his blond locks. This reminded me thoroughly of Edward.
"Doctor Cullen." The nurse sang, now standing in the hallway no more than a few feet from us. She held a white, tightly sealed bucket covered in different labelling and numbers, about half the size of her torso.
She tilted her head at us so the brunette locks of her hair would tumble over one shoulder. I bit my tongue while she fluttered her eyelashes. Is it just me, or can anyone else see the thick white-gold band on my Father's ring finger?
"Thank you Melissa, if you want to get started, I'll join you in a moment." Carlisle dismissed her with a nod and a warm smile, pivoting on his heels to sigh exasperatedly at me before we both slipped back inside the room.
Jackson held his arm out for the nurse with some effort, he bit his lip and gazed around the room, emerald eyes sparkling where the light touched them.
I stared at the great bruise on his forearm, just before his elbow crease. It was a misshapen blotch, the colour of ink in the center, gradually turning a ghastly shade of purple then a sallow, sickly yellow bordering the outside.
The colours reminded me of a spaghetti-strapped evening gown Kourtney wore at a fashion show we unwillingly attended together. Of course, that was French silk, not the result of a forearm fracture.
The bone that had previously been protruding from Jackson's arm had been pushed back into it's natural position. However, the sheer knowledge that some part of my son had been broken continued to rattle me to my core.
And all this, gave me the undying urge to shop, to shelve the anxiety of the afternoon and hide myself in expensive denims, velvets, satins, until I was asphyxiated by them.
Jackie's giggling broke my concentration, and I found him laughing at the blue mush being smeared across his arm. He wouldn't be pleased once the mould hardened and he could no longer move within it.
I brushed my fingers through my hair, momentarily gleeful at the satin-soft disarray that met my skin. Glancing over at Jasper, I found his expression to be one that was so stiff, so impossibly passive that it was unnerving.
His hair curved around the angular bends of his features, blond wisps that seemingly twisted themselves to perfection. He held his arms tensely over his chest, the fabric of his grey thermal soaked through to a black where the rain had caught him.
For a brief while I tried to wonder how this had all occurred – to wrap my head around it, so to speak. How I had gone from feeling so safe, so incredibly jubilant in Jasper's arms, to a mangled assortment of emotions, clammy skin and damp clothes currently standing in the hospital.
Turning to Jackie again I was curious to know what made him so...happy. He doubtlessly saw rainbows in spite of the hell that churned around him. Tilting my head at him, I assessed the wide smile and flash of small, square baby teeth and glittering green eyes.
I would be happy if that was where Alice had gone. Where the old me had decided to bury herself. He was the perfect host after all, so bright and helplessly optimistic.
I could continue to be this...assortment, as long as I knew that Jackie was okay, that who I once was, was okay.
"Alice," Jasper touched my shoulder, I almost jumped at the abrupt contact. At a loss for words, I peeked up at him through my lashes, ducking my head in the unsmooth, scarred flesh of his neck.
His palm flattened on my back, pressing me closer to his body, his security. "Your worrying is giving me a headache," He smiled briefly and kissed my face.
Carlisle cleared his throat quietly, "How does it feel?" He asked, I glanced across the room once more. Jackson's face was scrunched, he waved his arm around in the air, grunting when he realized how restrained he was.
We waited a moment when he finally groaned and muttered, "I can't move, Grandpa." Jackson's brow furrowed as he gazed around the dimly lit room before making eye contact with me at last. "I can't do anything Mommy. Is this gonna be forever?"
I cleared my throat, waiting for my voice to return before whispering, "No sweetie, it'll just be for a month or so." My voice, thankfully, did not betray me this time and I smiled inwardly.
Carlisle sent us home with the promise of coming to check in on Jackie every once in a while. I held Jackson on my hip while the three of us stood in the elevator up to Jasper's apartment. He snored quietly into my throat, occasionally grasping at my jacket with his capable hand.
"Is there anything else I should know about Tristan?" Jasper asked, the lilt of his accent making my skin crawl in spite of his topic choice. I pressed my lips together, ducking my face into Jackson's hair while gently shaking my head.
The elevator dinged to signal our exit as Jasper responded with, "I would feel more relaxed with a little knowledge of my enemy." I still withheld my answer, feeling more like blueprints for a war ground than a person.
Jasper's mood switch was nearly tangible as I followed him down the hallway, where a small, withered lady was fumbling with her door keys. Her silver hair piled high atop her head in a tight bun, she hunched over herself in attempt to collect the keys from the ground.
It seemed Jasper was beside me one moment, then snatching up her keys the next. He flicked easily through the ring of bronze before finally sliding the correct key into the slot and opening the door wide for her.
"Ah, thank you Major Whitlock." The woman smiled a soft, practiced smile before adjusting her glasses to lay eyes on Jackson and I. Her thin lips formed a surprised O before she peered up at him and smirked.
A red hue conquered Jasper's face before he could compose it. "Jasper would you mind carrying that in for me?" She asked, scuttling into doorway before he got the chance to reply.
I paced slowly to join him, waiting silently in the doorway while he gathered the brown bag of groceries that had been sitting beside the lady. Jasper carried the bag into her home, vanishing through another doorway.
The smell of an exotic perfume pulsed from the woman's home, an intoxicating scent that made me dizzy. Perhaps an Italian cologne of some sort? I'd have to remember the smell on my next trip to Florence.
Jasper strode out from the room again, grinning at the woman who followed him. "Alice, this is Ms. Olsen," He spoke smoothly, distracting me with the almost harmonious tune of his voice. I clutched Jackson to my chest, it was an effort to shake Ms. Olsen's hand and hold him.
She nodded at me wordlessly, grey eyes scanning every inch of my body before her smile widened even more. "And this is...?" Ms. Olsen lowered her voice to a whisper, directing our attention to Jackson.
"My son," I mumbled into the dark silk of Jackson's hair, averting Ms. Olsen's gaze. Jasper placed his hand on my shoulder, I could practically feel the heat of his skin right through my clothes.
"Ahh," Ms. Olsen nodded, smiling another gentle smile. There was so much understanding in her eyes it almost made me sick to my stomach. For a split second I wondered if she would think I was some delinquent like Daisy did. "You two look good together," She said cheerily. "She holds you together quite nicely Jasper."
Jasper cleared his throat gruffly, combing his fingers through his shaggy hair. "Thank you," I put on the famous Cullen smile while I spoke, and flashed my teeth vibrantly at her.
After saying goodbye to Ms. Olsen, we proceeded down the hallway to Jasper's apartment. He eased the door open gradually, stretching in the front forayer.
"She seemed nice," I laughed, toeing my shoes off before passing Jazz in the hall to carry Jackson into the living room where I left him on the couch.
Jasper nodded in agreement, then slowly shook his head. "You didn't answer me." He held his arms over his chest and for a long while, stood there watching me, as if he expected my life with Tristan to come spewing from my pores.
I made a face at Jasper, hoping to better project my revulsion. "It won't happen again," I muttered, surely sounding as hesitant as I felt. "He doesn't think about the things he does before he does them. It's...it's not his...fault."
Clenching my teeth I stared at the black bangs dangling before my eyes. Where did those words come from? Why did those words come out?
Jasper's eyes locked onto my mouth as if he was waiting for the big punch line. I sighed, holding my hands against my temples as I strode into the kitchen.
"What I'm saying is: he's not like that...always." I stood against the counter, narrowing my eyes on him as he moved about the kitchen, so quiet, so thoughtful.
Why wasn't Jasper upset? Why wasn't he shouting at me?
Tristan would've yelled...
But he wasn't always like that, he could just be angry. I loved what I believed he was, not who he could be.
"You're so tolerant," I grumbled, "It's driving me crazy." Jasper's lips twitched. His blue eyes becoming full with something I couldn't quite grasp, while he watched me speak.
He shrugged so simply I thought for an instant that my head would burst. "I have no reason to be angry with you Alice, it's obvious that you're...conflicted about him." Then Jasper's voice lowered, becoming a menacing sound that made my throat swell. "So far I can't seem to understand how exactly you agreed to marrying him in the first place."
I gagged unintentionally, a rather inappropriate habit I picked up whenever I thought of being so close to Tristan Michaels ever again. And yet, out in the living room, there laid Jackson – a flawless replication of him.
Shaking my head I snapped, "It was a spontaneous idea, I was eighteen, it...it..."
Jasper's hands engulfed mine, great calloused fingers locked around my own. It seemed almost as if the moment he made contact with me, every abstract thought in my mind separated, becoming one fluent stream. The sudden lack of obscurity was so relieving I thought my whole being had departed from the ground. I hadn't even seen him move towards me.
"It's a bit cliché to hear about screwing up from me," Jasper gave me a crooked grin, his left eye shielded by a blonde twist. "But, mistakes happen."
I don't know when I fell asleep after that, I just remember lying in bed with Jasper, wearing another of his shirts. Then waking abruptly to find Jackson curled against my side, yanking at my hair – it was cute when he was a baby, but now it just plain hurt!
Next thing I knew I was sprawled across the span of Jasper's bed, smothering myself with his sheets. Pawing around beneath the duvet I rolled over in search of Jackie, however; the small dip he had been occupying had long since filled out and gone cold.
I bounced speedily out of the sheets in a lethargic daze, yelping when my bare feet met the icy wood panelled floors. There were voices coming from down the hall and I raced to join them, jerking my fingers through my hair as I did so.
At the end of the hall, I discovered Jasper on the couch, Jackson on his knee, the both of them bent over a shiny white laptop on the low coffee table. Their hair was hilarious and I stopped briefly to compose myself before entering.
"Mornin' Mom," Jackson waved just as Jasper lifted his head. I nodded, walking curiously towards where they sat. Glancing at the screen of the computer, I met the dark brown eyes of another man. I jumped up at first, rubbing my eyes while Jackie and Jasper chuckled.
Jasper nodded to the screen then to me, "Alice, this is Major Lucas Dare, a very close friend of mine, he...took over my command when I was shipped back." Jasper's eyes remained on my face as he awaited my response, as if he expected some exaggerated expression to assault me.
I leapt out of the view of the slick black webcam atop Jasper's laptop, glowering at him while I fixed my hair up. Jackson watched me with comical emerald eyes, biting his finger to hold off his laughter.
Leaning back in I waved embarrassedly. It took a few seconds but Major Dare waved back as well, sporting a wide, toothy smile. Only now did I take in his appearance, the beige t-shirt and camouflage he donned, the sun-bleached hair and the burnt red of his glimmering flesh.
Beneath all that sand and sunburn I knew Lucas was probably a very attractive man, but right now all I could focus on was the block letters spelling ARMY across his chest.
I turned to Jasper and sharply shook my head. He frowned at me, clearly aware of my irritation. "He's one of my closest friends Alice," He was swift to defend himself.
Pressing my lips together I squinted at him, then I remembered Jackson and quickly righted myself. "There are several things I would like to say to you Jasper Whitlock..." I clenched my jaw firmly and spoke through my teeth, "We'll talk about this later."
With that I stomped into the kitchen, but not before I heard the words, "Damn Jazz, you've been busy, eh?" The words were choppy and unclear, though the voice was a deep brassy tenor.
Jasper's reply was relaxed and joking, "The perks of being blown up I guess."
Where I stood in the kitchen I winced, shoving the images of all Jasper's scars from my mind. All Jasper's scars, open, burning, bleeding...
And he would be going back to that – no! He wanted to go back to it. Ugh! How could someone so incredible make me want to rip my hair out all at the same time?
I stomped around the kitchen childishly. Slamming cupboard doors and purposely scraping the chairs loudly across the tiles when I pulled them out. Actually, I was so annoyed from trying to irritate Jasper that when he finally paid attention to my fit – a half hour later – I was exhausted from staying angry for so long.
Sitting at the table, crushing the crust of the burnt toast I'd made myself, I glowered at him when he strode into the kitchen sporting a grin. "All done?" Jasper was amused, winking at me from underneath a terrible assortment of blond tresses.
Jackson came in shortly after, scraping his nails across the material of his cast. "Mommy!" He whimpered, forehead wrinkled to it's most extreme, eyebrows knit together so tightly they cast shadows over his green eyes. I held off my giggle at his fury. "It's so...so..." Jackson's face blanked as he struggled to find the proper word. "So...there!"
He pivoted to whack his restrained forearm off the edge of the counter, and I begin to hop from my chair as Jasper snatched his arm. "Trust me, you do not want to do that," Was all he had to say before releasing him again. Jackson squinted at Jasper suspiciously then dropped his arms to his sides again.
As Jackson figured out new methods of working with one arm, I slithered from my chair at the table, slugging towards the counter to rid myself of the tasteless black squares on my plate.
Jasper scoffed at me and shook his head. "You wouldn't last a day at my Mother's house." He grinned a slanted, drowsy, ridiculously sexy grin and I felt his nostalgia all the way down to my curling toes.
I cocked an eyebrow at him as he pointed to the garbage can. "The amount of food you toss away..." He blew out a sharp breath and pushed his hair from his face. "Jasper Whitlock, you'll eat everything on your plate and you won't leave the table until I say you're finished!"
Both Jackson and I laughed at his shrill imitation of his Mother. Jasper tilted his head to an angle I would have thought uncomfortable, though at the moment, all I could concentrate on was how badly I would have liked to place my mouth on that exposed skin. "I hated when she did that," Jasper's nose wrinkled.
Wrapping my arms around his waist, I manoeuvred out of Jasper's path, watching his hands as they moved so quietly about the cabinets in search of something. Pressing my forehead against his spine I ran my hands down his sides and over the soft fabric of the old shirt he wore. I'd need to do more shopping, how could I have him walking around like this?
There was the quiet thud of cardboard landing on the counter, I peered under Jasper's arm at the box of pancake mix and sneered. He didn't even give me a sideways glance when he said, "What's that look for? I was under the impression you wanted something real to eat."
Smirking I muttered, "I don't want to eat food," rolling up onto the tips of my toes to bite his shoulder. In what seemed like a fraction of a second to me, Jasper went from clutching white-knuckled at the counter, to gently pushing me away from him.
The expression in his eyes was undistinguishable, but my smirk only grew when he waggled his index finger at me. "Set the table," He ordered stiffly, his words sounding much more like a warning than a command.
With a slow nod I turned entirely on my feet to face Jackson, still sitting at the table, his face scrunched in disgust. "You must have a lot of cooties." He grumbled, eyes darting between Jasper and I.
I made up placemats for Jackson and Jasper, swiftly adding cups and utensils as Jasper cooked away.
"Hey, when are we going to the beach?" Jackson questioned with a tilt of his head, I pursed my lips. In all truth the whole beach trip had become a background thought, I hadn't really had time to center on such things with all that had happened.
"Well, honey, I have a party to go to this week." I whispered with an irritated twitch of my lip, "But I'll call Emmett to see what he has planned." I promised, filled with an overwhelming sense of happiness at Jackson's massive smile.
"A party?" He gasped, pawing at the table in all his excitement. Jasper silently set out their breakfast and took his seat between Jackson and I without a sound.
I nodded and bit my lip for a lengthy period. "Yes, but a business party – with big people and yucky food." Jackson's expression fell as I anticipated. "But-" as soon as I began the light returned to his eyes "-Bella and Edward are going to take you out that night anyways."
Jackson wriggled in his chair, chewing vigorously so he could speak again. He swallowed audibly, making a face as the pancake lump went down heavily. "Bella and Uncle Edward?" His distaste was evident.
I chuckled, "Yes, but don't worry, I'm pretty sure you'll have her all to yourself anyways." Jackson's eyes glittered as he went to inhale another large bit of pancake.
Jasper finally said something again, "This week?" He looked at me curiously when I nodded. "What are you wearing, should we not...match or something?" His face contorted while he spoke around a mouthful.
"I can't tell you," I smiled and tilted my chin up smugly. "It's a surprise, I'm sure whatever you're wearing will be fine."
Jasper snorted, "I already have everything planned."
The rest of our day consisted of me watching Jasper introduce Jackson to everyone overseas via webcam. I stayed out of the view, preferring to deny the whole thing, than ever having to admit Jasper was part of the events going on over there.
We took Jackson out to rent a few movies and stayed in, which was strange for me. I couldn't recall the last time I curled up on the couch with Jackson and guy at the same time.
Later that afternoon, while Jackson slept on the floor to an Air-Bud movie, I waited for Jasper while he was in the shower. Jasper who was taking forever!
Finishing up my email to Elise on my phone, I filled her in on all the details for the party and padded into the master bathroom. Seriously, I don't believe I've ever lost my clothes so fast, though I drew the curtain back and stepped into the shower in what felt like a blink of an eye.
I took one step in and screamed at the top of my lungs. A scream that lasted for all of ten seconds before Jasper's hand clapped over my mouth.
"It's freezing!" My teeth were already chattering, if it hadn't been for Jasper's arm around me I think I may have leapt right from my flesh.
He rolled his eyes at me drastically, shutting the tap off entirely. "How the hell do you shower in water like that?" I demanded, following Jasper straight back out of the shower once again and straight into his towel.
He laughed outright at me, "I don't know, I just kind of got used to it." Jasper snickered at my expression, stretching the green fabric of his towel around the both of us. His hair was the colour of chocolate when it was wet, perfect ringlets. I responded with a very quizzical glance – who the hell bathes in ice cold water?
"Alice," He started. "When you're over there, it's so hot all you want is an ice bath." Jasper shook his head wickedly, sending frozen pelts across the bathroom. "Besides, it's not like we can just stop and shower whenever we want to, water is water so you learn not to process the temperature after a while."
My ears honed in on one thing and one thing alone, so it didn't surprise me very much when I gasped, "What does that mean? How often did you shower?"
Jasper swallowed his laughter, sucking the corner of his lip into his mouth as he shrugged. "Um, whenever I guess, I can't remember really." He couldn't keep himself totally composed when I gagged, shoving him out of the reach of the towel.
"Jasper!" I hissed, "That's disgusting!"
He simply shrugged, unhooking another towel from the back of the bathroom door. He tilted his head at me, winding the white material around his hips as he did so. "Boys will be boys."