A/N: Would you understand if I said I sorta forgot how to write for a while? *sheepish smile*

Chapter 53

It was no wonder that Alice wasn't use to being alone. She had two of the most wonderful and loving people for parents; and if that wasn't enough she had a brother who would do nearly anything to please her. With that in mind, she'd never seen a need to look outside of her own family for companionship as a child. That is until she was a bit older and Edward had gone off to school in Chicago.
It never took very long for her to fill any sort of emotional void, thanks to her social and outgoing personality, but it was only once Bella had entered her life that she again felt truly content; and with Jasper following soon after she'd been absolutely blissful ever since.

The past several days had been quite the learning experience for her however. With Jasper away on one of his many trips, and Bella having taken off with Edward in order to move him back home, she had very little to occupy her time outside of work.
The first day or so had been fine. She'd taken time to clean and organize much of the house, enjoying the freedom to move about at her own pace and not bother anyone with her high pitched singing, or the random order in which she chose to divide her attention. That night she'd joined her parent's for dinner and they'd had a nice evening together, just the three of them. The following day she'd been super productive at work, effectively wearing herself out to the point of wanting little more than a bite to eat and her bed when she'd gotten home.
It was only afterwards that she realized she might have made a mistake. By taking on so much at once, the remainder of her week had become far less of a challenge, making the time inevitably slow to little more than a creep.

She was now approaching her fourth day alone and though she'd survived things tolerably well she was starting to appreciate the circle of people she come to count on even more than usual. Jasper had called her up the night prior and though she was super excited for him when she'd learned that he was being put in charge of a restoration project, she was disappointed to know that it would require he stay in Portland for an extra day. This was what he'd been working towards and what he hoped to be doing with his future—saving old historic structures from neglect and possible demolition, so she had no choice but to congratulate him and promise that she was doing just fine. She was proud of his achievement for sure, but she usually had Bella to keep her company when he was away. Now with she and Edward out of town as well, this left Alice feeling rather limited in whom she might call on to entertain her.

But that's when it finally clicked for her.

Bella liked being alone sometimes. She'd often compared an afternoon sitting by herself with a good book as the perfect way to spend a day. It was as relaxing as it was stimulating, since she felt so comfortable inside of her own imagination.
Alice had never begrudged her friend for whatever pastimes she might find enjoyable, but she'd never really seen the appeal. It was a quandary that had actually eluded her for some time, how a person might find such happiness being all alone, since her brother had always seemed to prefer moments of solitude as well.

Thinking about Bella and Edward and their preferences made Alice wonder if maybe she wasn't the one that might be missing something here.

She and Jasper had talked at length in the past about what they both wanted out of life and what sort of relationship expectations they had. They'd been together a long time and had met when they were quite young, so far as relationships went. They were mature however in that they each wanted to grow and experience things, both together and on their own before settling down in a traditional sense. It was never that they felt any sort of burden being with the other, but they still wanted time to enjoy being themselves, instead of just Jasper and Alice, as if they were a single entity. And it had worked well for them.

Alice had known the freedom of coming and going during her adult life. As a courtesy to Jasper she always told him of her plans and when appropriate she'd include him in whatever she was doing, but she'd never felt any sort of pressure from him. She could enjoy a night with the girls in college and be certain that Jasper was happy to hang out with his roommate or some of the guys from his study group. And likewise if he wanted to go watch the game at some sports bar and drink too much beer on a Friday night she was perfectly content to let him while she and Bella took part in some other, more civilized activity.

The one thing however that she'd never had a desire to, nor had she taken the opportunity to experience before now, was what it might be like to have some time to herself.
A few moments alone to get ready in the morning, or a half hour spent relaxing before bedtime, didn't constitute the type of alone time she currently found herself possessing, and the novelty of it had suddenly intrigued her.
Even during those quiet times in her life when she'd been studying or focused on a task, she'd never really been alone. There was always someone else in the room with her, or the house at least. And when she was by herself there was always the knowledge that someone would be coming home eventually—usually within a matter of hours instead of days. But right now that wasn't the case.

Realizing that this could be rather enlightening after all, Alice had decided to make the most of her time. And it was a wise decision indeed, as she was greeted by a phone call the moment she'd thought to pick up her cell and send a text to let everyone know it would be turned off for the remainder of the day—taking a note from Bella and Edward's handbook on how to avoid unwanted interruptions.

"Climbing the walls yet?" Bella had teased when Alice answered in her usual fashion.

"Believe it or not I'm starting to enjoy having the place all to myself."

"It's only three o'clock. Please tell me you haven't already started drinking."

"No silly. But I have been thinking." Alice giggled at her best friend's sense of humor. If nothing else Bella certainly knew her usual personality and she would have guess right had this conversation taken place a few hours ago.

"I may decide differently if you two don't come back by the weekend, but at least for now I'm sort of eager to see how long I can last on my own."

Bella was happy to hear it, but she was sort of reluctant to let her know that the weekend wasn't looking like a possibility right now. She knew how Alice was, and she knew that the absence of her usual companions would be difficult for her to endure, especially since it was terribly uncommon for everyone to be away at once, but she had faith in her ability to persevere.

Still the phone call had been an important one—to let her know that it had been raining nonstop for the past two days and therefore their packing up of said cabin had been put on hold indefinitely.
She and Edward had nothing to complain about. The plan had always been to have no plan and now in had become obvious that Mother Nature was in agreement, providing a wonderful reason to extend their stay. It did however force them to make a few phone calls and preemptively settle any annoyance that might come from their postponed arrival.

"No that's cool. Jasper's stuck in Portland an extra day as well, so I'm contemplating my options as we speak."

Her instinct was to say that she was sorry to hear that, but Alice didn't seem to have any disappointment in her voice, so instead she chose to tease her a bit more.

"I don't know, Alice. I worry about the amount of time you spend by yourself these days. It's not good to be alone so much, you need people and conversation and oh my god, let's go get pedicures!"

"Ha ha. If you weren't like five states away from me I'd hold you to that you know…What was that?"

"Edward overheard the five states part. He says he's impressed that you actually know how far away Colorado is."

"Smack the shit out of him for me and I'll pretend you didn't just volunteer for a day at the spa with me whenever you do decide to come home."

Bella's laughter was a pleasant sound—one that she realized just then how much she'd begun to miss, but it was the words she said that truly made her smile.

"We'll be back as soon as we can, I promise. Unless of course we decide to run off and get married. I expect a long honeymoon you know; someplace warm and tropical…are you taking notes, Sweetheart?"

"Is there something you need to tell me?" Alice hinted with much amusement.

"Nope." Bella innocently informed her. She was indeed just feeling playful, but Edward's startled reaction had her willing to prolong the game, "And how come that sounded like I'm supposed to tell you first?"

"Because I have a vested interest in both of your futures, and there's also no way in hell you'd ever get away with running off to get married. I will crash the honeymoon if I have to!"

She could hear Edward groaning in the background and something that sounded like a disgruntled "Jesus."

"We're not running off, and we're not getting married, you fool. You know I'm teasing. We'll be back by the first of the week if the weather lets up soon. Edward claims this sort of thing never last more than a few days."

"He's just telling you that so you won't suspect that he's figured out how to control weather patterns, or that he's conveniently stranded you there so he can have his way with you a little longer."

"Well that would show just how smart he isn't. I'm quite a willing captive at this point. No need to conjure up a hurricane in the middle of the Rocky Mountains just to keep me here a while."

"What the hell are you saying now?" Edward wondered, in an exasperated voice.

"Tell Bubby it isn't good to get all grumpy just 'cause his lady friend has decided he's not brilliant."

"Seriously, Alice…lady friend? I think you just put us in a senior citizen category."

"You were the one talking nuptials…"

"Oh for crying out loud, I'm going to hang up now."

"Suit yourself." Alice was grinning like a fool, but there was no one there to see it and she was sort of happy about that.
She derived just as much enjoyment out of unnerving these two as she had once only known when encouraging them. She was still of a mind to be supportive and helpful when need be, but it was obvious that they were finally in a place where a little humor couldn't hurt. Still, Jasper would want to fuss at her for making him out to be such a bad guy when he'd had his moment to tease, were he there to witness this.

"I'll send you a postcard next month, Smartass."

"She's going to be impossible to live with when we do get back." Edward warned as Bella disconnected the call.

"I have a backup plan if she kicks me out or becomes too big of a pain."

"Really?" he playfully smirked as she got to her knees and began crawling in his direction.

"Unless you've changed your mind…" her teeth raked lightly over the stubble on his neck as he laid his head back allowing her the space to explore whatever part of him she liked.

He wanted to say something but the pleasurable groan she'd pulled from him cut off any form of coherent communication. She got the point though and rewarded him with a tantalizing kiss.

This entire trip had been one wonderful experience after another. For Edward, it didn't matter whether he and Bella were walking hand in hand through the woods, sorting and packing up his possessions, or discovering some new level of passion; every moment they'd spent here together had become one that he would always recall with great fondness. He understood that the location and structure of a home were features that could make an individual feel comfortable, but it was the memories and experiences that one might have in a particular place that truly made a house something to cherish. As a result he knew that leaving this place behind when the time came wouldn't be so hard as long as the memories would stay with him.
But for now, thanks to a little help from the weather he was happy to sit back and add to the collection of memories this place had already been able to bless them with.

That is until Bella's phone decided to interrupt.

"Leave it," he pleaded, believing it was Alice calling to harass them a bit more, now that she'd had time to think up a few more witty comments.

He could feel Bella's hesitation though he didn't understand it at first.

"It's Jasper's ringtone." She finally managed between kisses. "He never calls me unless it's important." She sighed now, pulling away to check the screen.

Sure enough it was Jasper and Bella apologetically chose to answer the call. She had no idea what to expect, since she'd been being completely honest. The large majority of she and Jasper's communication when they weren't physically in the same place came via Alice; the rare phone call being for emergency purposes in most cases. This however was unprecedented as Jasper had greeted her with the usual, "Hey Darlin'," before immediately asking if Edward was available.

"Is everything okay?" she had to wonder, detecting a bit of an edge to Jasper's ordinarily mellow tone.

"I'm not sure I expected you to answer," he chuckled a bit—an awkward sound she wasn't use to hearing from him. "Alice was bitching last night about how y'all had turned your phones off."

"I was just talking to her actually and forgot to kill it again. It's the only reason you got through to be honest."

"I'm umm…I guess I'd like to talk to you and Edward, if maybe you could put me on speaker for a minute?"
He'd gone over his options multiple times. He didn't want to make Alice's brother uncomfortable and calling Edward directly would certainly do that. He also knew that Bella and Edward's plans, whatever they consisted of, shouldn't be interrupted by the likes of him if at all possible. He felt like this was important however and he hoped that Edward would appreciate his consideration.

Bella was still a little confused over what sounded like nervousness coming from Jasper, but she agreed telling him to hold on for a second.

"Umm…Jasper wants to talk to both of us, so I'm going to put him on speaker." She told Edward as she punched a series of buttons to make it happen.

"Okay, we're both here and listening." Bella announced a moment later.

"Uhh…okay."
Edward could hear him take a deep breath and glanced at Bella's expression which was one of nervous confusion. He didn't know his sister's boyfriend the way that Bella did, but he knew what anxiety sounded like and he worried about what could have a man as calm and collected as Jasper acting this way.

Had they been able to see him just then, their worries would have likely been magnified as he'd begun to pace the narrow space between the foot of his hotel bed and the decrepit old chest holding his outdated television.
He was on a tight budget when he travelled anyway and with the purchase of Alice's engagement ring he'd reigned in his finances even more; so the fact that there was a worn path in the carpet where he walked already amused him, as there wasn't anywhere else he could really wander.

"Did Alice mention that I'll be in Portland through the weekend now?"

"She did." Bella answered taking hold of Edward's hand as they sat side by side staring at her phone.

"When I get home I was…well I've been thinking and planning for a while, I mean I talked to Carlisle the other night even and he was really cool about everything…but the more I've thought about this the more I realized that he's not the only person I should ask…"

"Jasper." Bella calmly got his attention. She gave Edward's hand a little squeeze and he recognized that she was using the same tone of voice she often employed to bring him back from his little moments of panic. "Honey, you've got to take a breath every now and then."

He did just that—rather audibly in fact.

"Edward, I would like to ask your sister to marry me. And I need to know if you're okay with that."

There was a pause as Edward had been thoroughly blindsided. He wasn't as surprised by Jasper's intentions as he was by the fact that he would deem his permission necessary.
Since he'd come back to Port Angeles and reconnected with his family Edward had begun to consider himself a horrible brother. For all of the love and support Alice had always offered him, he'd taken what she was willing to give and offered so little in return. He was absent for so much of her life, staying in touch by nothing more than the occasional phone call or email, and when pressed he would deny her even that. But Alice, he'd always been able to count on her—for everything. She'd never asked unnecessary questions and she didn't treat him like he was someone with a problem. She excused his absences and his lack of communication. Her loyalty was infallible. And though the decision to come home and visit her was entirely his, he would always credit his devious little sister with providing that little extra push he'd needed in order to pursue the love of his life.
She meant so much to him, but to think that his opinion should matter…it didn't make sense to him.

"I…" he could feel tears welling up behind his eyes and he choked on the words that he couldn't even begin to say.

Bella was silent allowing him the chance to respond, saying nothing but placing her arm around his trembling shoulders.

It felt like seconds were beginning to stretch into minutes and those minutes were threatening to become hours from Jasper's side of the phone, but Edward eventually managed to speak.

"You make her happy. That's all I could ever ask for. She deserves to be happy."

"And it's about damn time." Bella added. The emotion in her voice was genuine and unapologetic. Jasper already knew how she felt.

"I plan to ask her when I get back next week. I just…I know how important you both are to her and I feel better knowing that you're okay with this. I want to make her happy every way that I know how."

"I love you, Jasper, but that's far too much information." Bella snickered and sniffled at the same time.

"Love you too, Darlin'." Jasper sighed, "And Edward…thanks, Brother."

"Are you happy, love?"

Edward couldn't speak. He appreciated the fact that she would ask if he was happy rather than okay. But of course she knew him better than anyone at this point, and he also knew that she understood the significance of this moment because it had affected her just as deeply.

He'd just found out that his little sister would be getting married, and her boyfriend had thought highly enough of him to ask his permission, though he'd already spoken to their father and secured his blessing. It was so overwhelming on so many levels that Edward had no hope of controlling this response, making him appreciate Bella's presence even more.

He was happy. Happy that Alice's life was on track to be exactly what she'd always dreamed of; and happy that he had finally found the courage to truly be a part of it.
He loved his family dearly, and few people had ever been as important to him as his sister, though he'd never known how to show her. For Jasper to recognize that and to honor him with such respect and acceptance was something he'd never counted on, which made it him happier still. It was proof that his sister's, soon to be fiancé, was indeed a stand- up guy, and someone worthy of Alice's love.

He'd learned so much about himself over the days and weeks since he'd met Bella, but it still surprised him, the depth of love his heart was capable of. For so long he'd closed himself off from the rest of the world and fought to ignore his feelings—his need for acceptance and companionship. Now that he'd opened himself up to all that he'd hidden from for so long, he was ill equipped to handle the subsequent onslaught of emotion that came from being granted what he'd always subconsciously hoped for.

"Ally's getting married." He chuckled.
His voice was light, but the tears he still fought to control tried to stifle his comment.

Bella's embrace meant the world to him in that moment. It was the kind of hug he'd never been on the receiving end of until recently. It was full of understanding and support—the kind of hug that made you feel like all was right with the world, because there was someone else who was on your side.

"She really is going to be impossible to live with for the next few…hell, the next forever most likely," Bella had laughed through her own set of tears.

It was so unusual to hear any sort of uncertainty or trepidation coming from Jasper so she'd braced herself for just about anything, but after he'd finally started using some words she'd been reasonably certain that he was hinting at a marriage proposal.
She could tell that Edward had been sufficiently shocked by Jasper's inclusion, but that was Jasper for you. He was every bit the gentleman and he'd gotten a lion's share of southern charm. Whether it was an inherited trait or an engrained one was still up for debate but Bella knew first hand that a wink and a grin from the likes of Jasper Whitlock could make a girl's heart do cartwheels—but he'd only ever had eyes for Alice. It truly was about damn time.

"I have a feeling Alice had better enjoy these next few days by herself, because once Jasper gets her to say I do, I doubt he'll be willing to let her out of his sight for a while." Bella mused.

"Can't say that I blame him," Edward admitted as he finally released Bella from their hug. He carefully traced the outline of her smile and let the corner of his mouth twitch into her favorite grin, tears still slowly trailing down his face. "I know that whenever I get married I'll be looking forward to a nice long honeymoon—someplace warm and tropical."

"Is that so?" Bella smirked.

Edward nodded very seriously despite the presence of his grin.

"Would you settle for someplace cold and rainy for now?"