Chapter 14: Wanting a Future

A couple of weeks passed and Jasper's injuries began to heal. Everything was tense once more around them since James attacked Jasper; all Jasper wanted was to see that smile on his love's face again.

One day, Alice was in her room reading over a fashion magazine when there was a knock on her door. "Yes?" she answered looking up. Jasper walked in with a half-smile.

"Am I interrupting anything?" he asked.

"Nope," she replied smiling, putting her magazine aside.

"Come on," he told her holding out his hand.

She gave him a quizzical look. "Where are we going?" she asked.

"You trust me?" he asked.

"Always," she replied as she placed her hand in his and they left the house.

Once they were by Alice's Porsche, Jasper had her turn around. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"It's a surprise," he replied putting a blindfold over her eyes.

She bit her lower lip. "Jasper…" she murmured.

"Don't worry, it's nothing dangerous," he assured her.

He helped her into the car before climbing into the driver's side and drove off.

The ride was long and Alice couldn't help but wonder where Jasper was taking her. When she felt the car stop, she heard Jasper get out and walked to the other side, helping her out. "Where are we?" she asked.

"You'll see, surprisingly when I did visit my dad this was a place he brought me to when I was a kid," he explained.

Jasper smiled as he held onto his girlfriend's hand. "Evening George," he greeted the man by a gate.

"Good evening Jasper," the man answered smiling.

Jasper smiled as he turned around to look at Alice. "Ready?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied.

He undid the blindfold, pulling the sash from her eyes. Once her eyes adjusted to the sunlight, her eyes widened in disbelief at what she saw. In front of her was a Champagne colored horse. "His name is Apollo," Jasper informed, petting the horse's muzzle.

"Jasper…" she trailed off.

Jasper smiled a little as he patted the horse's neck. "You ride?" she asked.

"Yep," he replied smiling.

Alice bit her lower lip. "I have him signed out for the rest of the day," he informed.

"As long as he's back before midnight," George informed.

"That won't be a problem," Jasper assured him.

Alice walked over to the horse and Jasper placed his hands on her waist. "We don't have to go," he told her.

"I want to," she answered smiling.

He smiled softly before he lifted her up and helped her into the saddle before climbing behind her. "Ready?" he asked.

"Yeah," she replied.

Jasper smiled before getting Apollo to start off in a trot.

They rode through the fields for the longest time before he finally stopped. They got off the horse. "This is a great place to think," he told her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"It's pretty here," she answered.

They were standing on top of a hill that had the perfect view of the sunset. He kissed the back of her shoulder, rubbing her arms gently. "Alice, I would like to talk to you about something," he murmured.

"Yea?" she answered.

He rested his forehead against her shoulder. "You know how much I love you right?" he asked.

"Yeah," she replied slowly.

Turning around, she gave him a quizzical look. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

"No," he replied.

He gave her hands a gentle squeeze, kissing her knuckles softly. "Alice, all my life I have been searching for someone to love and someone to love me in return. I thought I found that once with Maria…but I was wrong. I kept my heart in a casing of iron because I felt it was easier just to become this serious, cold person than anyone else," he explained. Jasper moved his thumbs over her hands. "Then I met you, Alice just a smile and it was the key that unlocked the iron and then melted the ice that had formed around my heart," he added.

"Jasper…" she said quietly, giving his hands a squeeze.

"I love you more than life itself. I would leap in front of a firing squad for you, I'd do anything you would ask of me," he answered.

Letting out a deep breath, he closed his eyes. "I know we are young, we haven't graduated high school yet. But…after all we've been through, why wait?" he asked quietly. He slowly got down on one knee while holding onto her hands. "Alice, I have loved you from the moment we met and I will prove my love for you everyday for the rest of our lives," he told her. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a three solitaire diamond platinum ring. "This ring belonged to my grandmother, Marie. She told me to give it to the woman I could see building a life with, the woman I would be willing to give my whole heart to," he explained.

During all of this, tears were just spilling down her face like a stream. "Mary Alice Cullen, I have loved you from the moment we have met and I want that future that you had seen. Will you do me the honor and the privilege of becoming my wife?" he asked. She let out a sob as she held onto his hand.

"Yes, oh God yes," she replied with a shaky voice.

Jasper slipped the ring onto her finger before standing up and hugging her tight. Alice hugged him back with a small laugh. Laughing with her, he lifted her up off the ground, swinging her around in circles. After setting her down on the ground, he rested his forehead against hers. "I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too," she replied smiling.

Lifting her chin up, he kissed her gently. Alice kissed him back, one arm wrapped around his neck while her other hand rested on his chest. After pulling away from their kiss, she rested her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. It was then she realized that his heartbeat matched hers. Jasper kissed the side of her head as he held her close to him, just feeling complete with her in his arms.