This is the second of two updates today.
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Sorry for any mistakes.
Chapter 45
Jasper is Loyal
"Why can't you understand that Jasper would do anything for you?" Rosalie snapped and Alice stepped backwards as she made her way into Alice's personal space. "You could do anything to him and he would forgive you for it. Hell, you could tear him limb from limb and burn the pieces in front of him and he would still tell you that it was all okay and assure you that you had nothing to worry about." Rosalie shrugged her shoulders, acting nonchalant despite the anger Alice could see in her eyes. "We worry about him. That's all."
"You-you think I hurt Jasper?" Alice stammered, her chest aching at the very thought.
"Everything he does, Alice, he does it for you. He put himself through so much discomfort coming here. And he did it for you. And what does he get out of it? If he's not out hunting, then he's stuck upstairs in bedroom. He doesn't feel safe here. But you don't seem to care about that. As long as your visions tell you that it'll all be okay, Jasper just has to deal with it, right? No matter that he doesn't want this."
Alice wanted to argue, but her argument died on her tongue.
Rosalie was right. She had forced him to come here. She'd practically given him no choice. She'd seen the future that she wanted; she'd seen Jasper in it. But Alice had never thought for a second that Jasper had been there against his will. She'd dragged him along with her because he fit into the picture she had seen of her perfect life. Even though she'd felt his discomfort and his anxiety; even though she'd talked him through his doubts many a time, she had still pushed for them to continue.
And he'd given in to her, as was his way, to keep her happy.
All he ever wanted was to make her happy, hell to how it would affect him.
He'd lay down his life for her. And all she ever did was take, take; take. She'd never given him anything in return.
She stepped back, further away from Rosalie as she took her words in.
How many others thought that she was controlling towards Jasper?
She ran from the room before Rosalie could say anything else, and she soon found herself outside absently following Jasper's scent. He'd gone out for a hunt with Edward and Emmett. She'd been so happy that morning that he was trying to bond, but that was just another thing she had forced on him. He'd wanted to stay at the house and read while the others hunted.
She'd told him that he had to make an effort with the others if they wanted to stay there.
She hadn't even asked him if he wanted to stay there.
She'd been so wrapped up in her thoughts that she almost walked straight passed the boys. And she probably would have done, had it not been for Jasper calling her name. She turned to look at him, seeing the corpse of a bear lying in the middle of the floor.
Just another thing she'd forced upon him.
She let out a sob at the thought and turned to run, but Jasper was too fast and she'd barely got away from the clearing when she was caught up in his arms. He held her at arms length, concern shining in those golden eyes.
"Ali, darlin', what on earth's the matter?"
Alice attempted to speak but she couldn't. All that she'd managed to get out was another sob as she clung to the front of his sweatshirt. He guided her over to a nearby rock and Alice found herself sitting on his lap a few moments later. She felt as he rocked slowly, his fingers combing through her hair.
She heard a low growl from a little way away and tensed, fearing she'd accidentally angered someone else. After all, Jasper had been hunting. And here she was, interrupting him, spoiling his time with the others. She was surprised when Edward's voice followed the growl.
"Rosalie!"
Alice felt Jasper's grip tighten on her as he said, "What did she do, Edward?"
"She, essentially, accused Alice of abusing you."
The next growl sent a vibration through the chest her head was resting on.
"Rosie wouldn't do that." Emmett immediately defended his wife, but less than a second later he spoke again, less confidently, "Would she?"
"It was very clear in Alice's thoughts that she did, Em," Edward suddenly appeared closed, his hand resting on Alice's shoulder. "Ali, nobody else feels that way, I promise you. We know you love Jasper. We know you wouldn't hurt him."
"But I have,"
"Alice, sweetheart-,"
"No, Jasper. What she said was right." Alice whimpered, fighting to get her words out. "I forced you into so much. I'm so sorry. I never asked if this life was what you wanted. I just assumed because I'd seen it." She paused a moment, hiccoughing, her tears soaking Jasper's sweatshirt. "I forgot that my visions are subjective and-and I forced you into a situation that made you uncomfortable." The next words that came out of her mouth surprised even her. "I'm just as bad as her."
She gasped as her entire body shook, and it took her a few seconds to realise that it was Jasper shaking her. When he stopped, she found that they were no longer sitting on the rock. Jasper was holding her at arms length, his face dark. Alice panicked slightly at the sight.
"Don't you dare compare yourself to that bitch," Jasper growled and Alice whimpered slightly as his hands tightened around the tops of her arms. "You are nothing like her."
"Jasper," Alice whispered, fighting to get out of his grip, "you're hurting me."
Instantly Jasper's hands had left her upper arms and she was crushed against his chest once more.
"I'm sorry, my love, but you need to know that you are nothing like her." He whispered as he held her tightly against him. "You are kind, sweet, caring. You are my light. My heart. I willingly followed you here. We both knew that it was going to be tough, didn't we? But nothing has stopped me from changing my mind. If I'd decided I didn't wanna come, I could've walked off on my own."
"I'm sorry, Jazzy, I didn't mean to-," Alice began to apologise as she heard Jasper's southern accent make an appearance and knew that he was upset with the situation.
"Stop apologising," Jasper demanded and Alice nodded. "Alice, what Rosalie said was untrue. And I'm a little hurt that you could even entertain it. Darlin', you know better than anyone that I'm not a man to be pushed around. If I don't want to do something then I won't do it."
"Alice," Edward reappeared beside them, "if we worried that Jasper was in any kind of danger with you, we'd have dealt with it by now. You know Esme's history. Do you think she would have let Jazz go through that if she could put a stop to it? You're a little overpowering sometimes, and you can be very pushy when you want to be. But we can all say no. And we know if we don't want to, you would never force anyone to do something. Except perhaps change their fashion sense."
Alice let out a little laugh at Edward's words.
"I'll talk to Rose," Emmett offered. "I'll tell her she's to mind her own. But Jasper, please don't do anything. I-,"
"She upset Alice," Jasper stated simply.
"I know she did. I'll make sure she understands. You're protecting Alice, Jasper. That's your job. I'm protecting Rosalie. That's my job. Let me deal with it. Ali needs you more than Rose needs thrashing."
Alice expected Jasper to argue, so she was a little surprised when he simply nodded her head.
"Come on, doll. Let's you and I go for a walk." He interlocked their fingers, tugging her gently along behind him. "We've some misunderstandings to put right."
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