A/N: Happy Sunday and most importantly, Happy Mother's Day to all you moms! We have a bit of business to go over before we get to the story, so let's get to it. The winner of the Outtake poll is the E/J POV from a time when they were apart. I will be work on this for posting this week under Southern Charm - The Outtakes. Congrats to all that voted for this one!

Thanks to all of you that have reviewed, favorited, or alerted my story. I appreciate you all so very much.

Chapter 21 – Forward

04/07/2010, 10:02 – EPOV

Life was good. Actually, life was excellent and I couldn't honestly remember ever being this content. I strolled down Superior Street on my way to RIC lost in thought. I'd just finished my weekly therapy appointment with Seth and we both felt that I could cut back to an appointment every other week. As the weeks passed, I'd begun to get a better handle on my emotions and the panic attacks had become virtually nonexistent. This small step forward allowed me to trust myself and my feelings and I was pleased with the progress I'd made so far. I knew that I still had a lot of unresolved issues stemming from my relationship with my father; however, for the first time since I'd returned from Iraq I felt less like some sort of robot and more like an actual human being.

While Seth seemed to give me all of the credit for the progress I'd made, I knew in my heart that it was primarily due to the loving support I'd received from my family and Jasper. They'd accepted me for who I was regardless of the flaws I'd tried to keep hidden. Truthfully, it was a relief to know that I didn't have to be perfect or straight to be loved. I'd spent so much of my life trying to live up to who my father wanted me to be that I'd lost sight of who I really was. Coming home and allowing all of my pent up emotions to surface had actually freed me from this burden and I was looking forward to the next chapter of my life with Jasper by my side.

The last few weeks, while tiring, had been fantastic. Newton had returned to work, tail tucked between his legs, and I'd been able to return to a normal working schedule. The man I loved more than life itself had agreed to move in with me and was making excellent progress in rehab. He'd also taken Garrett's advice and began working with RIC's on-staff counselor on some of the unresolved anger he harbored over the night he was shot. I was surprised that he agreed to it, actually, but he'd said that my willingness to discuss my issues with Seth had shown him that it wasn't a weakness to admit you needed to talk to someone. The counselor had read Jasper perfectly and helped him funnel some of his frustration and rage into a punching bag, much to Garrett's relief and my dismay. The first time I'd spied him pummeling the bag – hot, sweaty, and shirtless – my mind instantly conjured up images of the same sweaty, hot, and ripped man hovering over me while he fucked me hard.

I nearly moaned aloud as the images returned and tried to force them to the back of my mind. We'd relieved some of our frustration during our shared showers, but as time passed, I longed for the day when we could truly be together without fear of reinjuring his leg or being caught by nosy nurses. But I longed for more than sex too. I was ready for quiet nights spent watching TV after dinner. I wanted to celebrate holidays together with our families. I wanted to be annoyed because he didn't pick up after himself. I wanted it all. It was crazy, we'd really only been together for three months, but I knew deep in my soul that I'd never love anyone the way I love Jasper.

Caught up in my thoughts, I almost walked right past the front entrance to RIC. I was stopped in my tracks by the sight of Jasper leaning against the building, using only a cane to support his leg. He'd made astonishing progress and was almost ready to put full weight on his injured leg. Two weeks ago Jasper experienced painful tingling sensations in his left thigh and called me in the middle of the night, terrified that something was wrong. He'd been too scared to call for the nurse, but thankfully had contacted me. Once I'd calmed him down and got him to describe the sensations he was feeling, I realized that the nerves had completely regenerated. I excitedly informed him of this fact and I'd left a message with Dr. Stevens' service to let him know. The next morning they performed another EMG and verified my suspicions. Now that the sensation had completely returned to his leg, Garrett was able to push Jasper's rehab a little further and allow him to do more. The result of Garrett's hard work and Jasper's determination was evident in the peaceful expression on Jasper's face as he tipped it up to the sunny sky. His eyes were closed and I was overcome by the beauty of this man - the rays of light making his blonde curls shine in the sun. I snuck up on him and placed my lips on the underside of his jaw.

"Mmmm, hello my love," Jasper said languidly, eyes still closed as a lazy smile stretched across his face.

"How did you know it was me?" I asked with a smirk, encircling his waist with one arm as I cupped his sun-warmed face with the other. "Or do you let just anyone come up and kiss you?" I teased.

"I'd know those lips anywhere," he replied, opening his eyes and leaning in to give me a proper hello. Our lips melded together and I was again amazed by how content I felt in his arms. We kissed softly, reconnecting after a day apart, and then separated - Jasper's navy eyes twinkling with happiness and mirth as he took in my slightly dazed expression.

"Shut-up," I muttered, ducking my head into his neck in embarrassment.

"I didn't say anythin' sweetheart. Besides, I love that I can dazzle you. It's only fair when you do it to me every day," he noted with a grin. "Are you ready to get somethin' to eat? I'm starvin'."

I reluctantly released him and reached down to grab his free hand. Since our first outing to the diner was successful, Dr. Stevens had allowed us to venture out of RIC twice a week. I knew that Jasper treasured these excursions into the real world as much as I did. We no longer had to use the wheelchair - Jasper could walk without assistance for short periods but he needed the cane for support while he built up his endurance. He walked with a definite limp – something Garrett said would diminish with time but may never completely go away. Only time and more therapy would tell.

We made our way down to the corner diner and sat in our usual booth. The wait staff knew our habits and I smiled as a waitress brought over two steaming mugs of coffee without us even having to order. "The usual, boys?" she asked with a smile, not bothering with menus.

I glanced over at Jasper as he nodded his agreement. "Apparently we're boring," I replied with a smile. "The usual it is."

"Not boring, darlings. You just know what's good," she noted with a grin and went off to place our orders.

"So how was your session with Dr. Clearwater?" Jasper asked quietly, holding my hand across the top of the table.

"It was really good, actually," I responded with a smile. "He thinks we can cut back our appointments to every other week."

"That's great Edward!" Jasper exclaimed and I saw the pride he had for me reflected in his eyes.

"How about you? How's your morning been so far?" I asked, knowing that he'd already had a PT session with Garrett.

Biting his bottom lip, something he only did when unsure or nervous, he stated tentatively, "I'm not sure. Maybe I'm bein' paranoid but I think they are goin' to tell me I need to stay longer than two months."

I squeezed his hand and asked, "What makes you say that? I thought Garrett told you yesterday that you were making amazing progress…"

"Dr. Stevens was there this mornin', observin' our session. He never said a word and when I asked Garrett why he was there he said that he was just checkin' in to see how things were goin'. He wouldn't need to do that if things were goin' well, would he?" Jasper asked, those expressive eyes filled with doubt.

"There could be a hundred different reasons why he was there, baby. You shouldn't read too much into it. Just concentrate on doing the best you can and the rest will fall into place," I reassured. I knew that the two month mark was looming in Jasper's mind and he was anxious to be released from the facility. "Don't drive yourself crazy trying to figure out things beyond your control," I cautioned.

"I know," Jasper sighed. "I'm just so ready to get outta there. I just want…" he trailed off as the waitress came to top off our coffee cups. When she walked away he remained quiet.

"Just want what Jasper?" I prodded, wanting him to continue where he'd left off.

He took a sip of his coffee, sighed, and then leaned forward, eyes peering intently into mine. "I just want you. I want to be home already and movin' forward with our lives."

"I want that too…so much," I said fervently, my mind recapturing the thoughts I'd had earlier as I walked to meet him. "We'll get there," I assured him.

"How can you be so positive all of the time Edward? You always think the best is goin' to happen," he said with a scowl. "Can't you just join my pity party for once?"

"Baby, I lived the mother of all pity parties for eight years. I'm over it. I refuse to continue living waiting for the other shoe to drop," I stated with a self-deprecating grin. "Not that I'm discounting the fact that it's difficult. It is. Hell, I want nothing more than to fall asleep and wake up every morning with you by my side. You have no idea how frustrating it is to leave you every night, but what other choice do I have than to have faith? Fifty years from now this will seem like a drop in the bucket compared to the time we will have spent together."

I brought Jasper's hand up and brushed my lips against his knuckles. I heard someone clear their throat and realized the waitress had returned with our orders. Releasing my boyfriend's hand, I gave her an embarrassed grin. "You boys are just adorable," the older woman said with a wink. "Can I get you anything else or are you alright for now?"

Jasper replied, "I think we're good, darlin'."

"And a Southern gentleman to boot," she remarked, shaking her head and wandering off to check on her other tables.

We chose to put our earlier conversation on hold in favor of sustenance, both of us hungry and tucking in greedily to our breakfasts. This had become one of my favorite things to do with Jasper and I had a feeling I would have fond memories of this diner for the rest of my life. I pushed my plate away once I was done and watched as Jasper shoveled in food like he'd been on a deserted island for years. "Hungry, babe?" I mocked with a grin.

"I told you I was starvin'," he replied, his words garbled by the bite he'd just taken. As Jasper's therapy sessions had increased in difficulty, I'd seen a corresponding increase in his appetite. Between Garrett's workouts and his sessions with the punching bag, my boyfriend had become the poster child for physical fitness, his muscles toned and firm in all the right places. Not to mention the six-pack that I lavished much attention on in the shower. I tried to cook healthy meals for us when I brought lunch or dinner, but I knew that he loved his Southern cuisine and the greasier the better. Within moments, Jasper had cleared his plate of the scrambled eggs, hash browns, and biscuits and gravy he'd ordered and looked wistfully at the empty plate. I chuckled and then laughed outright as he glared at me.

"What? I couldn't help it! You just looked so sad that your biscuits and gravy were gone," I teased. "You really shouldn't be eating that stuff anyway – it's not good for you."

"That's why it tastes so good," he replied with a smirk. "All that good for you stuff tastes like shit."

"Oh – so you're saying my cooking tastes like shit?" I said, narrowing my eyes at him. I was just joking but wanted to see how he would dig himself out of the hole he'd created. Jasper usually spoke without a filter, his thoughts tumbling out of his mouth without prior consideration of the possible implication of what he was saying. Truthfully, I enjoyed his directness and found it refreshing, but I also loved messing with him.

Jasper's eyes widened as he realized what he'd just said. He began backtracking quickly in an effort to save himself. "No! You know I love your cookin' Edward. I'm just sayin' that the healthy stuff doesn't usually taste as good as when you make it."

"Good save, baby," I replied with a wink. "Tomorrow I'll bring you some of this new tofu dish I made yesterday so you can try it. Lots of protein – it'll be good for you." I knew that Jasper would eat whatever I brought just because I made the effort to cook for him, but even I couldn't stomach tofu. I watched his face carefully and nearly burst out in laughter as he tried to hide his disgust at the thought of such a meal. He looked down at the table for moment before looking back up at me.

"Sounds delicious," he said with a tight smile. He was hopeless. Everything he was thinking or feeling was written all over his face and this time I couldn't hold back my laughter.

"You must love me if you're willing to eat tofu," I said through my chuckles. "That shit is disgusting," I continued with a wicked grin. "Seriously Jasper, I'm not gourmet chef. If I cook something that you don't like, you don't have to eat it. I promise I won't make you eat brussel sprouts if you don't want to nor will I be offended if you don't want to eat something I make."

Jasper let out a huge sigh of relief and grinned back at me. "Thank God. I was picturin' havin' to sneak in pizza deliveries while you were at work. Not that I don't love your cookin', I do – it's just that I love my junk food too."

"I let you in on a secret, J – I do too," I admitted. "Besides, you'll make fast friends with Cletus if you share your pizza with him. I cook healthy meals so that I can afford to splurge every once in a while. I'm not burning calories at the same rate you are and I don't work out as often as I'd like to, so I need to watch what I eat. Besides, we old folks need to keep the arteries from clogging."

Jasper snorted and said, "Old folks my ass. You're only 8 years older and look mighty fine to me, babe. I love every inch of your old ass." He flashed a dimpled grin at me and like a teenage girl, I melted at the sight.

"Suck-up," I retorted. Glancing at my watch, I realized that our two hours had flown by. "We need to get back. I printed out the floor plan for the apartment and thought we could make a list of what you wanted to bring and what we'd need to get rid of." I motioned for the check and after it arrived, we walked up to the cashier to settle it. As we waited in line we continued our conversation.

"Oh God, you're goin' to go all OCD on me, aren't you? The next thing I know you'll have color coded lists and a time schedule for the movers," he said smirking at the thought.

I blushed because he had me. I'd already begun compiling an inventory (with photos) of the furniture that currently inhabited my apartment and had downloaded it to my thumb drive. I figured we'd be able to add his stuff to it, albeit san photos, this afternoon using his laptop. How else would we know what to keep and what to get rid of?

"You've already created the list, haven't you?" he accused, amusement filling his voice. "Is it color-coded?"

"No," I replied hotly, embarrassed that he'd caught me out. "But it does have photos," I mumbled under my breath.

"Did you say photos?" Jasper said, chuckling at the thought.

"Yes, it has photos. I thought you'd like to know what you are accepting or rejecting," I replied, mortified even though I knew he was just messing with me. "It's not like you've seen my stuff. How would you know what you might want to keep?" It had made sense to me at the time. As we reached the front of the line, I pulled out my wallet and paid the bill, leaving a good tip for the waitress. We walked out of the restaurant and back into the sunshine.

As we walked back towards RIC, Jasper grew serious and reached for my hand, squeezing it until I looked over at him. "What, so I like lists! Is that a crime?" I said, a little peeved at his reaction and eager to defend my OCD tendencies.

"I was just teasin' babe. Actually, I think it's sweet that you thought to take pictures so I can see what the place looks like and what you already have," he replied. He stopped in the middle of the sidewalk to turn and look at me. "You always think of everythin' that will make my life easier. You take such good care of me. I can't wait until I can return the favor. I love you so much…" he finished, leaning across to place a kiss on my forehead.

I rubbed my thumb over the top of the hand held in mine and replied, "You return the favor every day just by loving me, Jasper."

04/07/2010, 11:57 – JPOV

As we walked through the RIC lobby I decided that, unlikely as it sounded, Edward was perfect. Okay, he wasn't really – he was a neat freak, he bitched and moaned about Mike Newton like he was the devil himself, he drove a Volvo, and he always forgot to answer in the form of question when we watched Jeopardy, which let me tell you, frustrated me to no end. Minor annoyances aside, Edward was perfect for me and I had finally gotten over the worry that he'd wake up and realize that I wasn't the one for him. I mean the man had created a photo inventory of his apartment so that I would have a chance to help decide what we would keep or donate. Who does that? My boyfriend, that's who, and I loved him even more because he took the time to think of it.

"Fifty years from now this will seem like a drop in the bucket compared to the time we will have spent together." Those words had blown me away and were locked on repeat in my head. He said it as if it was a foregone conclusion that we'd be together fifty years from now and if I hadn't really internalized the fact that he truly loved me before today, that statement right there was incontrovertible proof. The idea of Edward and me, old, grey or – heaven forbid! – bald; undoubtedly cranky as hell, but still together… I felt my heart literally skip a beat at the thought. Sometimes my feelings for him were so strong that it felt like I could drown in them and as we entered the elevator, I wrapped my arms around him tightly and just breathed him in.

I remained enveloped in the cocoon of his arms until the elevator alerted us to our arrival on the 3rd floor. As we walked down the hall to my room, I noticed Garrett and Dr. Stevens standing nearby at the nurse's station. My free hand was entwined in Edward's and I tightened my grip anxiously. What the hell could they possibly want? I'd just seen them a couple of hours ago and nobody had anything to say. What had changed? Did Dr. Stevens' observation reveal that I needed to extend my stay? As much as I wanted to believe in Edward's positive take on the situation, I wasn't convinced. I was still limping pretty heavily and knew that even though I'd almost been here for two months already, I had a long way to go before I would be ready to go back to work.

I slowed my pace, trying to delay the inevitable, when Edward leaned down and whispered in my ear, "Whatever it is, good or bad, we'll get through it together, okay?" He pressed his lips to the top of my head and squeezed my fingers. "Now, if you could just loosen your grip a bit? I need to use this hand for other things," he continued then leaned back and smiled at me reassuringly. I closed my eyes for a moment and inhaled deeply. I relaxed my hand, but refused to let go completely. I needed his touch to keep me sane.

Once we'd reached the nurse's station, Dr. Stevens strode forward to shake my hand and then Edward's in greeting. "Jasper, Garrett and I would like a moment of your time to discuss your progress. I realize that you just returned from breakfast, but I wanted to catch you while Edward was still here – unless you'd like to do this in private?" Dr. Stevens asked, bound by privacy laws to ask my permission for Edward's inclusion in our upcoming conversation.

"I'd prefer it if Edward participated in this conversation," I said nervously. "Let's get this over with," I muttered to Edward and turned to head into my room. I took a seat in one of the chairs grouped around the small table that Edward, Emmett, Rosalie, and I had eaten at just a few weeks prior. Pulling Edward down to sit in the chair next to me, I tried to settle the anxiety I felt building in my stomach. I released his hand but felt better instantly when he began rubbing small circles over my back. Garrett took the chair opposite from Edward and after closing the door, Dr. Stevens took the seat directly across from me.

"Jasper, I can tell by your expression that you're anxious to know why we're here, so let's just get to it. I wanted to meet with you to go over your rehabilitation plan and the progress you've made so far. As you are aware, I've been getting updates from Garrett every other day on the work you do in therapy and this morning observed a session for myself. According to the last EMG we performed; the nerves that were damaged by the bullet have regenerated and are functioning at approximately 97 percent. You've gained a tremendous amount of muscle tone in your leg and are able to place weight upon it, although not for long periods of time…" Dr. Stevens paused for a moment to allow me to take in what he'd said so far. I nodded for him to continue, unable to say a word and really just wanting him to spit it out already.

"When you were admitted, Carlisle and I estimated that you could possibly remain in our inpatient program for two to three months, depending upon your rate of recovery. Next week you'll have been here for two months exactly and I have to say, Jasper, that I've never seen another patient progress at this rate given the injuries you presented with," Dr. Stevens noted, smiling at me. I felt my heart rate pick-up, knowing that my fate was hanging in the balance. "I'm pleased to tell you that you've made enough progress that you can continue your physical therapy on an out-patient basis."

I sat there stunned for a moment, trying to process his words. Looking over at Edward, I noticed the wide smile on his face and wondered if I'd heard the doctor correctly. Still in a state of shock, I looked back at Dr. Stevens and asked for clarification, "Just so I can be sure that I heard that right. You're lettin' me outta here?"

Dr. Stevens smiled and nodded. "Yes Jasper, we'll be releasing you next week. You'll need to return three times a week for physical therapy and once a month for follow-up appointments, but Garrett and I both feel that you can continue from home. Obviously you're not recovered enough to return to work, but if you continue to progress at this rate, you should be back on the job in two to three months."

I looked at Edward and beamed, feeling myself begin to choke up at the thought that finally we would be able to move forward. Directing my attention back to Dr. Stevens and Garrett, I listened as they outlined my next steps and the plan for my outpatient sessions. My release date was set for April 15th. Once we'd settled on a plan of action, I walked around the table to shake Dr. Stevens' hand, thanking him for his assistance. Movingbvgh towards Garrett, I pulled him into a hug and murmured my heartfelt thanks into his ear. I would never have made it this far without his exceptional skill as a physical therapist, his patience, and most of all, his friendship. Garrett shrugged off my thanks, warning me that the fun wasn't over yet. Once the room had cleared of everyone but Edward, I sat back down in the chair and released a heavy sigh of relief. I was going home!

Edward pulled me up from the chair and led me over to the bed. I got in and lay there silently as Edward removed my shoes and then kicked off his own. He got in on the opposite side. We were lying on the bed, facing each other when Edward pulled me into his arms and said quietly, "Let it go, baby." I buried my face in his neck and released nearly three months of anxiety, frustration, and fear in a torrent of tears. As I sobbed, Edward held me close. I could feel his tears mingle with mine as we gripped each other tightly. After a while I was able to regain control and pulled back slightly to look into Edward's eyes. They were red-rimmed and wet but filled with the same blend of joy and relief that I was feeling. "I love you so fuckin' much Edward," I whispered fiercely, uncertain how to get the depth of my feelings across to him.

"I know, baby. I love you too, so much." He kissed me chastely and then ran his fingers through my curls, pushing them back from my face.

"Where's your spreadsheet?" I asked tiredly, excited that we could finally start planning our future together.

"My spreadsheet can wait," he responded, tucking my head back into the crook of his neck. "Rest now and when we wake up, it'll be spreadsheets galore," he joked.

"I can't wait," I murmured, settling in for a nap with my partner.

A/N: As always, your feedback is greatly appreciated. Until next Sunday... :)