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XXX

That night Jasper called Carlisle and was told they had settled in Ithaca and that they could get a connecting flight from New York straight to the city. Jasper organised the flights quickly for the next morning and as soon as the sun rose they checked out of the hotel and raced to the airport to avoid its rays.

The flight to New York was uneventful and they had plenty of time to make their connection. When the plane landed at the small airport in Ithaca they walked off hand in hand and Jasper immediately spotted Carlisle and Esme.

Alice grinned when she saw them and she dropped Jasper's hand and raced to Carlisle and threw herself into his arms. He caught her easily and laughed as he hugged her and Jasper joined them. He hugged Esme and then Carlisle let Alice go and greeted Jasper.

"Alice sweetheart," Esme smiled sadly. "Carlisle told me what you discovered. I am so sorry you had to find these horrible things in your past."

"Thank you," Alice sighed. "The memories of the asylum were bad enough but I think the worst thing is not knowing why my parents did it. Why they didn't love me enough to protect me from that place."

"It is in past darling," Esme whispered as she stepped closer to the woman she considered a daughter. "You have a new family now, one that will never turn their back on you."

"And the best parents in the world," Alice added with a smile. Esme grinned widely and pulled Alice into her arms and they hugged firmly and tenderly.

"I am glad you decided to return to us," Carlisle added as the two women parted. "We have missed you both terribly."

"We've missed you too," Jasper agreed and although he hadn't realised it while they were gone he had.

Jasper and Carlisle went to collect their bags and when they rejoined the women they walked out to where Carlisle's car was waiting and headed to the house. As soon as they arrived Alice could sense that no one else was home and turned to Esme with a frown.

"Where is everyone?" she asked softly.

"Only Carlisle and I live here at the moment," Esme replied after sharing a look with Carlisle. "Edward needs some time alone. He calls in every few months but he never stays more than a couple of days. Emmett and Rosalie are in Europe. They decided to go there for a few months just after we moved here."

"I feel awful about leaving you now I know everyone else did too," Alice gasped.

"No," Esme said firmly. "It was what you needed to do. I'm glad your home now though."

"Me too," Alice smiled.

"Should I organise school for you both?" Esme asked.

"Maybe you could attend Cornell?" Carlisle suggested. "I'm teaching some courses there at the moment and working nights at the hospital. They offer some astounding courses."

"You know I think I would kind of like that," Jasper grinned and glanced at Alice. "How about it sweetheart? Want to be a college kid?"

"Actually no," Alice whispered. "I think I need a few months of nothing. If it's okay with everyone I would rather not go to school or the university."

"That is fine," Carlisle assured her and she felt a wave of disappointment from Jasper.

"You should go though Jazz," she added.

"Without you?" Jasper frowned.

"You'll be fine without me," Alice smiled. "I'm going to be busy anyway."

"With what?" Jasper frowned.

"I want to find out more about my family," Alice told him. "We might not be in Biloxi anymore but I'm sure I can find something on the internet."

XXX

The following evening Carlisle brought home brochures on some of the available courses at Cornell for Jasper to look through. Jasper was sitting on the bed in their new room flicking through them while Alice unpacked the boxes Carlisle and Esme had brought with them from Forks containing their belongings.

"Found anything yet?" Alice asked as she landed lightly on the bed beside him.

"A couple of possibilities," Jasper nodded. "I'd love to do medicine but I don't think that is a great idea. As soon as they start doing the practical side I'd probably lose it and massacre the whole class."

"Oh Jazz," Alice giggled and rolled her eyes.

"Maybe Philosophy," Jasper said and passed the catalogue to her. She flicked through it and then nodded her head as her eyes moved to his.

"This looks really interesting," she agreed. "I still don't want to go to Cornell, I want my time free for my own research. But if you do this course I might steal some of your course notes and textbooks."

"Of course," Jasper smiled, his decision made. He pulled the application forms from the pile of papers in front of him and began to fill them out but he had only written his name before he frowned at Alice.

"I'm never much good at stretching the facts on these things," he murmured.

"Oh, let me," Alice grinned and snatched the paper and pen and quickly filled out the forms.

When the forms were complete Jasper collected them all together and Alice joined him as they walked downstairs. They stopped in at Carlisle's study to give him the forms and then they headed out into the forest to hunt.

XXX

Jasper was accepted at Cornell, partly because of Alice's brilliant bluffing on the application form, and he soon settled into the work. It was more challenging than high school study, which had become a bit monotonous for them all, and Jasper loved it. Alice often sat reading with him in the evenings and sometimes they did his assignments together but most of her time was spent searching the internet for any more clues about her past.

Jasper enjoyed his classes but tried to stay clear of the humans. A couple of them had asked him to join their study groups but he had politely declined. Unlike at high school he kept his wedding ring on when he attended Cornell and a couple of girls tried to ask him out but they quickly noticed the wedding band and gave up.

He had a late class one afternoon and just after four he was walking across the campus when he heard his name being called. He turned and noticed a woman from one of his classes racing towards him. Her name was Georgia and she had long red hair and he had to admit she was pretty although he never really took much notice of other women.

"Jasper, I'm glad I caught up with you," she puffed as she reached him. "That assignment Professor Charles set us today. I'm struggling a little with the topic. I was wondering if you could give me a hand?"

"Oh," Jasper sighed. "Aren't you in a study group?"

"I am but they are all so intelligent," Georgia frowned. "I don't want to look stupid. You seem like such a nice guy I thought you wouldn't mind helping me, discretely of course. I am sure we can both have a good time and be discrete."

As she murmured the last words she lifted her hand to his and drifted her finger across his wedding ring, her eyes betraying the fact that she wasn't only talking about study.

"Look, Georgia," Jasper sighed as he pulled his hand from hers. "You are a very beautiful woman…."

"Jazz, there you are, I have been looking all over for you," Alice's voice trilled and she stepped up beside him and slipped easily between them and leaned up and brushed her lips on his.

As she pulled back he noticed the dangerous glint in her eye and he knew she had heard everything Georgia had said. Jasper could feel her anger and hurt and he also detected a wave of jealousy. She turned to the other woman and kept a fake smile on her face as she held out her hand.

"Hi, I'm Jasper's wife Alice," she introduced herself. "Are you a friend of his?"

"Georgia," Georgia replied finally and reluctantly shook Alice's hand. "We are in a couple of the same classes."

"Lovely," Alice grinned but her eyes narrowed at Georgia and her message was clear. "If you'll excuse us my husband and I are late for a family dinner."

She linked her arm with Jasper's and tugged him away from the woman and she kept her arm linked with his as they walked across the campus.

"Alice…" Jasper started.

"Wait," Alice snapped to cut him off. "She's watching us." As soon as they rounded the corner Alice dropped her grip on Jasper's arm and turned and glared at him.

"You think she's pretty," Alice accused.

"I was just trying to let her down gently," Jasper sighed.

"It didn't sound that way to me," Alice snapped. "You said she was beautiful. I heard you."

"Alice, I…." Jasper started but again she cut him off.

"If you are going to have a discrete good time at least pick someone worth it," Alice growled. "And it would want to be worth it Jasper Whitlock because I swear you sleep with her and it is the last time you will ever touch me!"

"Alice, no," Jasper said forcefully as she turned to storm off and he grabbed her arm to stop her. "Sweetheart, I would never even look at another woman, let alone touch one. I know you're jealous, I can feel it but you have nothing to be jealous of. The only thing I feel for that woman is pity because she will never be half the woman you are."

"But she's prettier than me," Alice whispered.

"Hell no she isn't," Jasper growled and pulled her closer to him but he softened as soon as she was in his arms. "Alice you have nothing to be jealous of, there is no one on this planet that could appeal to me more than you, that I could love more than you."

He could still feel her doubt and smiled softly at her as he decided to show her without words. He sent as much lust, love and adoration towards her as he could summons and her face melted and her body pressed against his as her knees went weak.

"I'm sorry Jazz," she murmured. "I just saw her and heard her and I kind of lost it."

"You don't need to be sorry," Jasper smiled at her. "I'd behave the same, if not worse, if I came across another man trying to seduce you."

"We've just had so much trouble and heartache over the last year and a half I'm scared," Alice whispered. "I don't want to lose you."

"You won't lose me sweetheart," Jasper sighed and leaned down and kissed the tip of her nose. "You can never lose me."

Alice smiled and snaked her arms around his neck and turned her face up towards him and he leaned down and gently kissed her lips.

"We should get home," Jasper murmured as he finally broke the kiss. "Didn't you say something about a family dinner?"

"That was only for the benefit of…" Alice started and then broke off when she realised he was joking. "Jazz!"

"Well I can see something I wouldn't mind devouring," Jasper grinned as he circled his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him.

"Jasper!" Alice gasped, wide eyed. "I don't know about this college thing, I think mixing with college students is having a bad influence on you."

"No, my dear," Jasper smirked. "That is you."

Alice laughed and Jasper moved his lips to her neck and ran his tongue along her skin before placing his teeth against her cold skin and nipping it lightly. She moved her hands up to tangle in his hair as her body arched towards him and he moved his mouth to her ear.

"Hunting trip tonight?" he whispered huskily, letting his breath tickle her lobe before running his tongue along the edge of her ear.

"Yes," Alice moaned and Jasper could feel her arousal flow over him like waves.

"Let's go," Jasper smirked urgently and grabbed her hand and quickly pulled her towards the car park as she laughed.