DISCLAIMER: This work of fiction is a non-profit, amateur effort and is not intended in anyway to infringe on the rights of Stephanie Meyer who created the wonderful Twilight Saga.

So this is another quite short chapter but if you're very good (and if I can concentrate for longer than ten minutes at a time tonight - blame the Baileys and the fact that I keep finding other stories on here to read!) I might just add chapter 27 as well. Thank you for all the lovely reviews, the story has had over 2500 hits and you can probably imagine I'm more than a little happy about that LOL. Enjoy…oh and can I just say that when I proof read this chapter Jasper's last line made me melt. I wanna man like that hahahahahaha!

Stop The Merry-Go-Round

Chapter Twenty Six: Love

Alice's Point of View

I stirred halfway to waking when I heard giggling and muttered curses followed by a crash and more swearing. I shook my head to try and clear some of the grogginess and saw two shapes writhing around on the floor. I called out warily into the darkness,

"Emmett?"

More laughter and hushed voices,

"Yeah it's me. Sorry Alice I didn't want to put the light on incase you and Jazz were playing with his instruments. Didn't want to break his rhythm, especially if he was strumming! Ouch Rose what was that for? I was only saying…ouch. Alright already. Anyway Rose and I kinda got caught up and we, erm, tripped."

I squirmed with embarrassment but decided that, from what I already knew of Emmett, it was safer to maintain a dignified silence. He tried to hold back his guffaws but from the very inelegant and indignant snort that Rosalie gave his remarks I wasn't sure whether he was being completely honest about what had happened to them but again I thought it best to say nothing. Rose whispered 'goodnight' and went straight to Emmett's room, Emmett tiptoed over, squatting down next to the couch.

"How long's he been sleeping for Alice?"

He looked between Jasper and I curiously,

"I dunno Emmett, I don't know what the time is. A couple of hours maybe. Why?"

He didn't answer my question but continued to stare first at Jasper and then back at me.

"Has he been drinking?"

He frowned now, clearly not pleased about something and I tried not to smile. This was obviously Emmett in full on protect mode.

"No. Neither of us have been drinking. Why?"

He still wouldn't answer my question,

"And he's been sleeping. Like this. For two hours?"

I was a bit disconcerted at the way he was looking at me as though he were trying to see a hidden meaning behind my words. Did he think I was lying to him? He reached around me to lay his fingers against Jasper's forehead and then to his neck to check his pulse.

"Emmett?"

He grinned sheepishly,

"Sorry Alice but damn I can't believe this. Jazz doesn't usually sleep for that long at a stretch unless he's been caught up in a, you know? A nightmare. Or if he's been drinking and I don't just mean a beer. He's never asleep this early it's only just after one."

I caught the devilish gleam in his eyes as his face broke into a huge grin

"Guess you musta worn him out gypsy girl."

I had to laugh as I heard a gruff,

"Fuck off bear!"

come from behind my shoulder as Jasper buried his head sleepily into my back. Emmett pushed himself upright surprising me by brushing a kiss across my forehead as he went.

"You guys might wanna put on some music coz Rose and I are gonna be making some of our own…soon!"

Jasper and I groaned in unison as Emmett swaggered off to his room with a careless wave of his hand.

Jasper was curled around me, warm and fuzzy, my back pulled tightly against his chest and held there by one of his muscled arms. He rested his chin on my shoulder and I could feel his breath fanning my throat causing me to shiver slightly. I wriggled and he loosened his hold so that I could turn into his embrace and found myself staring into his eyes, they were slate grey the green almost completely overshadowed. Storm clouds.

"Hey baby girl."

He whispered softly raising my chin with his fingertips and kissing me gently,

I could feel his turmoil, the uncertainty in his caress. I placed my hand over his heart, it was hammering under my palm,

"Jasper about what you said, I don't…"

I paused as his jaw clenched and he ran his free hand through his unruly hair, he closed his eyes and when he opened them again they were flat and emotionless. He had clamped down tight on all his feelings but it couldn't disguise the rawness in his heavy Texas drawl,

"Heat of the moment thing darlin' . Forget it."

Heat of the moment! Forget it! Not a chance. I held his face steady in my hands forcing him to meet my level gaze,

"Now you listen to me Jasper. I've waited half my life to hear you say that to me and if you think I'm letting you take it back now you are in for a whole heap of 'sorry but it ain't happening'."

I gave him a few seconds to let the import of my words sink in and saw hope spring to life again in those gorgeous eyes,

"But you didn't say…you…we…"

I shook my head slightly in exasperation. Jeez. Men!

"You didn't really give me a chance to say much Jazz on account of the fact that you kinda kissed me. A lot. Erm and then you jumped my bones."

His dazzling smile was exactly the reaction I'd been hoping for and I carried on with my teasing,

"And it's hardly my fault if you can't keep your eyes open long enough 'afterwards' to hold a conversation. I don't speak snore!"

I clapped my hands over his mouth to try and stifle the noise he was making worried that we would disturb Emmett and Rosalie but I was relieved to see now that his eyes were dancing, alight with amusement. When his gales of laughter slowed I laid one of my hands directly over his heart just I had done moments ago and with the other I cupped his cheek, using my thumb to stroke his sexy dimple. I let all that I was feeling flow into the look I gave him,

"Jazz for so long I was all alone in the dark, in a place where I was too scared to feel because of the things I saw, because of losing Bella. I lived my life but it wasn't real not in the ways that mattered. My world was ever changing, always moving too fast because of the things I saw, because of losing Bella. Then I found you. You where beneath me and above me, all encompassing and you protected me from the things I saw, from the pain of losing Bella. But more than that you made me whole again and I know that without you I am never truly complete. Jasper Whitlock I love you. Do you understand that? I love you."

I think I melted when he winked, saluted me and mouthed

"Yes ma'am."