Chapter 21: Peace at Last

Two months after the incident, everything had calmed and it was settling back to normal and it has made the family become closer than ever before.

Alice woke up to someone stroking her face. Looking up, she smiled to find her husband smiling down at her. "Hey darlin," he whispered.

"Hey," she answered smiling.

Sitting up slowly, she brushed the hair from his face. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm fine," he assured her.

Sitting up he pulled her in his arms. Kissing the side of her head, he held her close to him. "Was just thinking," he added.

"About?" she asked.

She moved her hand over her husband's stomach. "Maybe we should leave New York? Start over somewhere?" he asked. Alice looked up into his eyes.

"And go where?" she asked.

He sighed, moving his hand up and down her back as he continued to think on it. "How about a small town where Josie and Gabe can grow up without having to worry about someone taking them from our backyard?" he suggested. Smiling, she rested her head on his chest.

"Yeah, it would be nice to raise them in a more family oriented environment. What about Forks? That's where I used to live for awhile," she commented.

Thinking, he moved his fingers up and down her back. "Forks…" he murmured.

"It's a small town, granted it's rainy most of the time but we enjoyed growing up there though," Alice replied.

Smiling, he kissed the top of her head. "We should take a weekend and see if we can find a home there," he murmured.

"I agree," she answered holding his hand.

They snuggled back down in their bed wrapped up in each other's arms as sleep took over them again.

The weekend arrived and they flew out to Forks to look at houses with Carlisle and Esme, knowing that Esme's opinion would be needed for which house would be perfect for them.

Jasper was sitting next to Alice at the diner looking over the newspaper. "We have all day darlin no need to rush," he assured her.

"I know," she answered grinning.

Letting out a sigh, Jasper reached over holding her hand. He moved his thumb over her wedding ring with a small smile on his face. Alice smiled as she moved a little closer resting her head on his shoulder. They looked up when Carlisle and Esme walked in. "We have a meeting with a realtor in about an hour," Esme informed sitting down.

"Any thoughts of which houses you want to look at?" Carlisle asked.

"Well…a few," Alice replied showing him the newspaper with the three houses they had circled.

Esme looked over the houses with a smile. "Perfect," she told them. Jasper kept his arm around Alice, moving circles on her arm with his thumb.

After they had lunch, the realtor was waiting for them at the first house of their choice. "This house has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, a dining room, a living room, and a basement," the woman informed leading them around.

"What do you think?" Jasper asked holding onto her hand.

Alice looked into the backyard. "The yard's a little small," she replied. Jasper looked at the backyard.

"Yeah it is a little," he agreed.

"So the next house then?" the realtor asked.

"Yeah I think so," Jasper answered.

The next few houses they looked at just gave them the same impression, it just didn't feel right to them.

Except the last house they were at, Alice's eyes widened and she started bouncing a little. "Oh my God it's beautiful!" she shrieked as she got out of the car. Jasper laughed as he got out of the car. Her eyes were glittering with excitement as she bounced from one foot to the other. Jasper was still laughing a little as he took her hand and the realtor led them inside.

"This house has five rooms each with their own private bathroom. There's the kitchen connected to the dining room and the living room with a beautiful view of the forest," the realtor explained.

Alice looked out one of the windows to find that the yard was large. "Oh! It's perfect!" she exclaimed jumping up and down excitedly. Looking toward her husband she grabbed his hand. "Jazz it's just in the price range and everything!" she exclaimed excitedly.

"I guess we're taking this one," Jasper commented chuckling lightly at his wife's excitement.

Alice looked towards her mother. "We can redecorate the rooms a few to look like guest rooms and one for the twins," she commented grinning.

"I'd love to help with that," Esme answered smiling.

The young woman shrieked before she took off upstairs to look at the rooms again with Esme walking up the stairs behind her. Chuckling Carlisle shook his head. "It's nice to see that kind of spark back in my daughter," he commented. Jasper smiled a little.

"Yeah, I'm happy to see it back too," he answered.

Carlisle glanced at his son-in-law. "We never had a real talk, with how crazy things were over the last year," the older man commented. Jasper cleared his throat.

"No and I'm sure knowing that your daughter married a former gang member isn't real the most ideal husband you had for her," Jasper answered.

The two men moved outside. "No it's not, also keep in mind Alice is also my youngest child and only daughter," he pointed out. Jasper stuck his hands in his pockets. "Also, I trust my daughter's judgment. She told me about you, the gang member who saved my daughter from being killed," he added.

"I was never a killer, as long as I was with the Cougars, I never once killed another human being," Jasper answered.

"You're a good man, Jasper, you almost gave your life for my daughter's safety on many occasions," Carlisle commented.

The older man scratched his chin a little. "Something I would do for my own wife and have done so," he added. Jasper gave him a quizzical look.

"Alice's mother was in a horrible relationship when she met me. She showed up at my dorm room just covered in bruises, it disgusted me so much that I took Esme and hid her away. When the man came after her, I was there waiting. I won the fight nonetheless but ended up in the emergency room with a concussion, a broken wrist, and three fractured ribs," Carlisle explained.

The younger man was stunned at Carlisle's words. "The point is, Jasper, I don't have to tell you to take care of my daughter, you're already doing it," he added.

"I'll never let anything happen to Alice, Carlisle," Jasper answered.

Chuckling lightly, Alice's father stopped walking and looked at Jasper. "I trust that you won't," he assured him. He patted Jasper's shoulder with a small smile. "Welcome to the family," he added. Smiling slightly Jasper nodded his head slowly.

"Thank you," he answered.

"We better go inside before Alice runs out and drags us inside," Carlisle chuckled.

They went inside and Alice walked down the stairs with a smile. "What were you and dad talking about?" she asked wrapping her arms around his waist. Esme had walked over to Carlisle with a smile on her face. Jasper glanced at his father-in-law before answering.

"Nothing for you to worry about darlin," he answered kissing her gently.

Alice kissed him back with a smile, her hands moving over his arms. "Let's eat," Carlisle said smiling. Esme swatted her husband's arm with a laugh before they left the house. Jasper pulled away chuckling lightly.

"Now seriously, what were you and dad talking about?" she asked.

"Your father and I have an understanding that's all," he replied smiling.

Alice smiled before holding onto his hand as they left the house, both excited to move their children into their new home and to start their new life.