*I don't own Twilight, it all belongs to Stephenie.*

"We won't be able to get married there either, but… At least we won't spend the rest of our lives looking over our shoulders." Jasper finished explaining in his low husky voice.

Edward smiled softly while drawing idle circles on the back of Jasper's hand.

"How do you know all that about Hanover law?" He asked gently.

"Angela." Jasper clarified in a smile. "She researched a lot about incest laws, trying to find a way out for us… And it came out kinda great, didn't it? It's where you live, where you'll work..."

"She really cares about you." Edward added in an afterthought.

"She does." Jasper acknowledged in a sigh.

"So… There we could live together without worrying about getting arrested." Edward wanted to confirm.

"Yeah… It's one of the few places where incest is not really a crime."

As Jasper dropped his stare to their joined hands, Edward took a deep breath in and let out what popped into his mind without a filter.

"Everything would be so easy if one of us were adopted…" He said in a very low voice without really intending to test his brother… Just suddenly overwhelmed with the anxiety caused by the possibility that had been hovering over them without Jasper's awareness.

Jasper scoffed, and that made Edward feel ambiguous. He looked at his baby brother with a slight frown.

"I would never wish for that." He said seriously, still focused on the subtle motions of Edward's thumb.

"Why not?" Edward asked carefully. "We wouldn't have to face so much trouble to be together."

Jasper finally looked at him.

"That's true." He agreed with clear hesitation. "But can you imagine losing the pillar of your whole life just like this?" He asked arching one eyebrow and snapping his fingers. "I don't know about you, but I would feel totally lost, I wouldn't know who I was anymore."

"Being adopted is not a bad thing." Edward countered gently.

"It isn't. It's actually a great thing." Jasper agreed. "If you know about it all along."

"It wouldn't change anything really…" Edward argued with kindness. "Family is family, and the love that binds parents and children doesn't really depend on DNA. Besides, we would be able to be together without facing prejudice and stupid laws… We wouldn't feel guilty about loving each other."

"I don't feel guilty about loving you." Jasper stated firmly, and Edward blushed subtly. "And I wouldn't change a thing. It is a complex situation, but I would never wish for it to be different, at least not in that way… Because that would mean my whole life has been a lie, that our parents have been lying to me for twenty-two years… That I was rejected by my real parents before I was even born… I would be crushed."

Edward's heart was suddenly heavy… Hearing his brother's words, the earnest way he voiced them, his injected eyes and the seriousness with which he talked about that… Edward was promptly certain that Jasper would definitely not be able to handle well the confirmation of his suspicions.

He swallowed hard and sighed, his mind reeling.

"You would eventually get over it." And right then he tested. "If that was the case."

"I'm not so sure." Jasper affirmed while averting his eyes. "Just thinking about the hypothesis makes me feel deeply sad."

Staring at his brother in plain fear, Edward considered opening up about his inkling… It's was better to prepare him for what was about to come… Probably.

His phone went off as he opened his mouth to speak, and it really seemed like a sign as he read his college mate's name on the screen.

"I need to take this outside." He said rushedly to Jasper before leaving the room.

Once more he swallowed hard and took another deep breath.

"Hey, Edward. I have the results." Max provided as soon as Edward said hello. "Do you want me to read them for you?"

"Sure."

Edward closed his eyes, for he had a very strong idea of what he was about to hear.

"Neither of the samples match the subject, which means…"

And he opened his eyes feeling his stomach dropping.

"Neither of them are the subject's parents." Edward completed with immediate sadness.

"Exactly."

He took a weighted breath in.

"How many tests did Gunther run?"

"He did the whole package deal. The results are consistent and definitive."

As his heart seemed smaller and his throat constricted, Edward tried to push away the prospects of Jasper's reaction once he learned about that.

"Thanks, Max." He said despondently.

"No problem, man."

After disconnecting the call and sinking his phone in his pocket, Edward held his head with both his hands and bent it while closing his eyes once again.

He thought he was supposed to feel happy about the news… Jasper wasn't his biological brother, they were not blood-related, they were absolutely free to love each other and be together, without guilt, without shame, without worry…

Then why wasn't he feeling the relief he had believed he would feel? Why was he afraid that that information would make the whole situation even worse?

Instead of happiness and solace, he was taken over by dread and anguish… His head was spinning and his whole chest felt so heavy he was having a hard time to breathe.

He tried to see what the next step was…

He couldn't think of anything. He came out empty.

#IMPOSSIBLE#

Carlisle settled the small suitcase on the floor as Edward helped Jasper get to his bed.

The younger man was weak… So weak his legs were wobbling as he sat on the mattress.

"You okay?" Edward asked in a kind tone, resting his hand on Jasper's shoulder lightly.

"I feel nauseous." Jasper replied in a barely-there voice.

"Lie down and breathe slowly. I'll bring the antiemetic."

"No, no more medication, please." Jasper said as laying down, squeezing his eyes shut.

"I'll get the ginger candy then." Edward said to himself.

Jasper scrunched up his nose.

Edward sighed in both, frustration and concern. He looked at his father.

"Dad, can you ask Mom to make a peppermint tea?"

Carlisle nodded before getting closer to the bed with a deeply concerned countenance. He carded his fingers slowly through Jasper's hair as looking sadly at his second son, who was still with his eyes forcefully closed.

Following his father's hand movement and seeing what came out entwined with his fingers once he retrieved it, Edward felt even more anguished than he had been since he got the DNA test results three days before…

Carlisle clenched his fingers around the long blond strands in his palm and gazed at his older son with downcast eyes.

Edward closed his for a brief moment, sighed for what seemed to him to be the millionth time, and sat beside his brother on the bed.

No more words were exchanged… And Carlisle left his sons without letting go of the strands of Jasper's hair he had in his hand.

"Love…" Edward uttered so softly, Jasper almost missed it.

The younger man opened his eyes and looked at his older brother with his gaze pouring sweetness and longing. He smiled a soft smile.

"Tell me what I can do." Edward's voice sounded pleading.

Jasper sighed.

"Stay with me."

"I'm here." Edward stated assertively. "Not going anywhere."

"Then it's all good." Jasper replied as reaching for his older brother's hand.

They shared this stare full of love and unspoken promises…

"Do you wanna take a shower? I'll help you."

Jasper shook his head subtly.

"Too tired…"

"So sleep for a little."

"Nah… Sleeping is all I seem to do lately." Jasper dismissed lightly before yawning.

"Because you're tired, love…" Edward argued in a loving tone.

The tenderness in his words made Jasper smile more profusely and raise his hands to Edward's neck, bringing him closer.

They kissed gently and parted before deepening the contact.

Then Edward got up.

"Where are you going?" Jasper asked.

"I'll just put on some music." Edward clarified as approaching Jasper's desk and his iPod. "Requests?"

"Anything is fine."

It took Jasper a moment to notice his brother's body and posture.

"You look thinner." He said worriedly. "And exhausted."

"I'm fine, don't worry about me." Edward said with a small smile as looking at Jasper over his shoulder.

The silence was relatively comfortable between them as Edward selected one of Jasper's playlists and the first song started to play. The brothers' smiles to each other were simple and honest as the older one walked back.

Jasper straightened up on the bed and leaned on the headboard. In a very natural gesture, he carded his fingers through his hair, to push back the strands that had cascaded around his face…

Edward sat on the mattress turned to him, feeling immediately anguished as he noticed his brother's spontaneous motion.

Suddenly serious, Jasper brought his hand before him and looked at the significant amount of hair strands on his palm and entwined with his fingers.

Edward felt his stomach dropping but waited for his brother's reaction...

"I want it to be you to shave it." Jasper spoke in a low, detached tone, his eyes hard although glossy at his hand. Then he looked at Edward and his gaze softened, became slightly saddened. "Will you?"

Edward just nodded as a single tear ran down his face. Jasper collected it delicately with the tip of his finger.

"It's just hair, baby…" He soothed his brother. "It will grow back."

"I know." Edward whispered and then smiled sadly. "I should be the one reassuring you, not the other way around."

Jasper chuckled lightly.

"We're so messed up, huh?"

Edward nodded again, slowly, as Jasper took hold of his neck and brought his face closer again.

Their lips met gently, molding against each other unhurriedly and parting in sync to allow their tongues to touch.

The exchange went on for a little while at a soft pace… It was a deep, serious kiss full of affection, and the brothers were completely focused on one another, anything else unimportant and disregarded.

As the kiss softly came to an end, Edward wrapped his arms around Jasper, who rested his chin on his brother's shoulder having his eyes still closed.

They remained in the embrace, taking in each other's scent and feeling one another's heartbeats.

Naturally, after a while, Jasper opened his eyes… And flinched as he saw his father standing on the doorway.

"Dad." He uttered, taken aback.

Edward's body got rigid, he didn't move. For a tenuous instant, he felt terrified of how much Carlisle had seen… But then he remembered the truth he had learned and kept to himself for the time being… And he relaxed, knowing he and Jasper were doing nothing wrong.

"Your tea." Carlisle said in his normal tone as his sons pulled away from each other and he got closer to them.

Edward stood up and his eyes met his father's… They exchanged a lingering look but not a word was said, and Edward couldn't read the emotion behind the dark blue irises... Carlisle sat where Edward was before and offered the mug to Jasper.

"You're very pale, son." He said with his usual loving tone. "You need to rest."

Jasper tried to say something, but his mind was still revolving around the idea of his father having seen the kiss. He reached for the mug though, in an automatic gesture.

"You're shaking…" He heard his father say in a low voice. "What are you feeling?"

"I-I'm okay."

Carlisle exhaled heavily, and his eyes assumed this saddened glint.

"Drink the tea and try to sleep for a bit, okay?" He asked kindly and Jasper nodded. "I'll be at my office downstairs if you need me, and your mom is in the kitchen preparing dinner."

Jasper nodded again before Carlisle got up looking at him, sporting a smile that definitely didn't reach his eyes.

Edward brought his gaze to his father as he felt Carlisle's hand on his shoulder.

"You should rest a little as well, you seem really tired." He said in the same gentle tone.

As Jasper, Edward just nodded before averting his eyes.

Sooner than they expected, their father was gone and they were alone again.

"Do you think he saw us?" Jasper asked rushedly, his eyes bigger and glinting with tears of fear.

Although Edward was feeling this weird sensation in the pit of his stomach, he smiled reassuringly.

"He didn't, don't worry."

"I don't want him to find out this way." Jasper explained in a pained voice.

Edward sat beside him and held his face gently.

"So we need to tell him." He stated pointedly. "We can't keep postponing it, we've waited long enough."

"I know, but I…"

"What are you afraid of?" Edward asked with a hint of impatience underlying his tone. "You were the one who wanted me to give up everything, who said that would face anything to have me… Where did that courage go?"

Jasper bent his head.

A twinkling tear slid along his smooth cheek, and Edward felt stupid for saying what he had.

"I just don't wanna lose my family when I don't know how long I have…" Jasper practically whispered, then looked at his brother. "I know what I said… The promises I made to you… And I meant them… I just…"

"I'm sorry, Jade." Edward interrupted him. "I'm so stupid, I'm sorry, I'm being selfish…"

"You're not. You're actually right."

"No. It's not the best moment, and I don't wanna add to what you're going through… Just… Please, forget what I said. We'll wait like I said we would."

"I love you, Tonton." Jasper vowed as tears streamed down his eyes. "But I love them too and I need them, I really do." His voice broke and he sobbed. "I feel so scared, Edward."

And then he was full-on crying.

Edward took the mug out of his hands and placed it on the bedside table before wrapping his arms tightly around him.

"Shhhh…" He soothed. "It's okay… It'll be okay, you won't lose them, I promise."

#IMPOSSIBLE#

Since Jasper was too debilitated to go anywhere, the Cullens decided to have an intimate dinner for New Year's Eve. Esme had prepared everything he liked and would serve the meal at the main balcony, where they had a broader view of the sky and would be able to enjoy from afar some of the city's fireworks.

She sipped her wine as she sat on the chaise lounge closer to the balustrade and sighed, her gaze far away. Carlisle sat near her feet and rested one of his hands on her shin.

"Don't you think it is unfair to them?" Esme asked in a pensive tone.

"I'm just trying to protect our children." Carlisle replied without looking at her, his downcast eyes gazing at the marble floor.

"And us." Esme added, looking at him with an arched brow.

Carlisle looked at her, haggard.

"Do you think I'm being selfish?" His tone was extremely disheartened, contrite.

Esme didn't answer. She too felt ambiguous about the whole situation.

They were silent for a long while, both deep in thought.

"Our boys are just like you, Carl…" Esme broke the quietness with those sighed words. "A hundred percent heart. And Jasper is the tough one out of them, he will never yield…"

"I know…" Carlisle replied, heaving a long breath. "That's why I need to make Edward understand."

"Edward will not yield either, my dear…" Esme countered in a saddened smile. "Although he is as rational as you are, you know he will always do whatever Jasper wants him to."

"Jazzy has always been his Achilles' heel, hasn't he?" Carlisle asked rhetorically, his eyes dropping to the floor once again. "But maybe that's exactly how I can get through to him…"

Once more they fell silent.

Carlisle stood up and walked to the balustrade, where he rested his hands before turning his face up at the night sky.

"We should've noticed it a long time ago…" He heard his wife say.

He nodded despondently.

"We should have… But then again, they were not aware… So how could we?"

Carlisle turned to her and they looked at each other for a couple of minutes, worry marring their faces.

"What about Jacob?" Esme asked in a low, secretive voice and guarded eyes.

After some seconds, Carlisle exhaled heavily.

"That's taken care of…"

Esme nodded and sipped some more of her wine slowly.

#IMPOSSIBLE#

Jasper stared at the long blond strands scattered over the porcelain tiles… He squeezed his eyes, forcing the humidity out of them, and sighed very subtly so not to alert Edward as the tears silently rolled down his face.

As the low buzzing sound of the hair clipper faded, his heart felt a bit smaller…

It was done, and he felt as if a part of him had been lost.

Strong, long warm arms wrapped around him, and Jasper sighed again before holding on to them.

"Let's go shower." Edward's whispered voice caressed his ear and he closed his eyes for a moment.

Jasper nodded, and Edward let go of him, straightening up and waiting. After standing up and turning around slowly, Jasper looked up and faced his brother, not trying to hide the tears trickling down his slightly blushed cheeks. His surprise was finding Edward's face as stained with silent tears as his was.

They shared a look full of care and understanding before undressing unhurriedly and quietly.

Hand in hand, Edward and Jasper got in the shower stall… The older one turned on the hot water after closing the etched glass door and embraced the younger one tenderly.

Holding Edward back with the same affection, Jasper rested his forehead on his brother's chest and gave in to the sadness. Little by little his sobs became more pronounced…

Edward tightened his hold around Jasper's trembling body as he cried, and quietly allowed the water to wash away his tears.

Once the crying subsided, Edward pulled away and gently washed Jasper's head and body. He helped the younger man when he tried to reciprocate the kindness but wasn't able to do it thoroughly due to his weakened state.

They got out, Edward wrapped a towel around his hips and another around Jasper's body, they moved to the bedroom again hand in hand, Edward sat Jasper on the bed and dried him before picking up some clothes on the dresser and helping him put them on… He dried himself and got dressed under the gentle gaze of his baby brother… All along without exchanging a single word.

Then Edward sat on the bed turned to Jasper and held his face between his hands. He looked at the younger one for a long while, his eyes watching carefully every little detail on the delicate face he loved.

"You're beautiful." He said in a low tone.

A spontaneous smile graced Jasper's face as he slightly blushed, feeling surprisingly shy.

"I'm bald and skinny." Jasper countered, but his smile never faded. "I have dark circles under my sunken eyes and I look as pale as a ghost… You can't possibly be serious."

Edward chuckled.

"You still look beautiful to me, love." He affirmed in a soft smile.

Jasper sighed and turned serious while looking away. Edward waited.

"I don't wanna go downstairs." He said after a while.

"You're still afraid?" Edward asked kindly and Jasper nodded. "There's nothing to worry about, Jade… If Dad had seen us he would have reacted completely differently from how he did."

"I just have this bad feeling…"

It was Edward's turn to sigh.

"It's still early… You can stay here for another couple of hours. I'll tell them you're sleeping."

"You're going now?" Jasper asked softly and Edward nodded. "Stay here with me." He kind of pleaded.

"I have to go down for a bit, love…" Edward clarified cautiously. "There's something I need to do."

"What is it?" Jasper asked as carefully as Edward had spoken, feeling a little wary.

Edward took a little longer than necessary to answer because, in reality, he didn't want Jasper to know he was going to try to gauge how much his father had noticed earlier… In fact, he was still a bit suspicious that Carlisle knew more than he was letting on. After all, Jacob had been with him that day, and he was fairly certain that Jasper's ex-boyfriend would not have missed the opportunity to try and snitch on them.

"I need to talk to Mom and Dad about postponing my leave." He lied with a heavy heart, not wanting to burden Jasper with the truth.

Jasper seemed resigned.

"Will you take long to come back?"

Edward shook his head and smiled subtly before kissing his forehead.

"I won't." He promised. "Try to rest." He kind of demanded in a gentle tone.

Jasper nodded and watched him go before lying down.

#IMPOSSIBLE#

"Where's Mom?" Edward asked as he got to the balcony.

Carlisle turned to him and smiled softly.

"She went in a while ago, to take a shower." He answered naturally as Edward leaned on the balustrade by his side.

Edward nodded and looked at his father with guarded eyes. Carlisle held his gaze with an attentive one for a brief moment before his countenance assumed this earnest expression.

"I saw it." He said in a steady although careful tone.

Edward felt his heart thundering in his chest but remained impassive.

"I thought I had raised you both well…" Carlisle said in a tone Edward wasn't able to recognize. "I thought you both knew you could trust me and tell me anything…"

Inexplicably, Edward felt his whole body get suddenly cold, a fainting sensation taking over him… But he found strength in his love for Jasper and in his determination to do whatever for them to remain together… And he got a hold of himself.

A heavy silence fell around them…

Father and son turned to each other and stared fiercely into one another's eyes.

"I'll give you one more chance, to be honest with me…" Carlisle stated earnestly, his stare a little hard on Edward's. "Is there something you want to tell me, son?"

And knowing it was no use to try to conceal it any longer, Edward took a deep breath in and filled his chest.

"Jasper and I are together, Dad." He spoke confidently, even though his hands were shaking like a leaf. "We're a couple."

Edward's statements lingered in the air between them as they stared at each other.