A/N: Thank you all for your great response to this story! And a great big thanks to everyone who reviewed, I appreciate it. Well, here's chapter two. I'm sorry it took so long, it's been a crazy week. But here you go!

Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight and all recognisable characters, no infringement is intended. Only the plot is mine.

Chapter Two

Jasper bit on his bottom lip, looking around the parking lot. Not wanting to look like he was eagerly waiting for a date, he waited in his car for some sign that Edward was at the theatre. He had been waiting for ten minutes. Ten horrible minutes filled with worry and self-doubt. Jasper didn't understand why he cared about the date so much. He had only met Edward hours before but there was something about him.

It was because he inexplicably cared for Edward that this was so hard. Jasper wasn't bothered by the idea of a relationship, but if one did grow out of this date, Jasper was worried for Edward. Jasper had gone over this in his head for hours, debating whether to come or not. He always came to the same conclusion: Edward could make his own decisions, and if he wanted to spend time with Jasper, despite knowing about his illness, then who was Jasper to stop him? But he still questioned whether he should be that cruel.

Growling in frustration at his thoughts, Jasper decided to walk up to the theatre. He hoped some fresh air would calm his thoughts and his nerves. It was times like these when he wished he smoked. Just so he could have something to do, something to focus on.

Jasper was beginning to think about all the different things he could do to distract himself, when he saw Edward climbing out of a car farther back in the parking lot. All conflicted thoughts went out the window as Edward turned to look directly at Jasper and smiled brilliantly at him. Jasper couldn't help the grin that stretched across his face and grew ridiculously wider as Edward walked towards him.

"Good evening, Jasper," Edward said when he reached him.

"Hello."

"I'm sorry that you had to wait. I was held up by Alice, my sister. She was originally going to come with me, but when she heard that you would be here she insisted that I go on my own. I had to spend a considerable amount of time trying to assure her that she wouldn't be an inconvenience, while subtly implying that she would be an inconvenience. It was a delicate line, and it made me late. I'm sorry."

"It's not a problem. I was a bit early too so… Alice could have come if she wanted," Jasper added. He didn't want to seem like a jerk, but he was pleased that Edward's sister wouldn't be a third-wheel. Or that he would be the third-wheel.

"Maybe some other time," Edward smiled, "Shall we?"

They decided to go to an action movie. Neither wanted to see the comedy that was playing, and Jasper flat-out refused to see the romance.

"I may be gay, but I'm still a man. I'm not wasting two hours on a chick flick with the same recycled storyline as every other chick flick," Jasper protested.

"But nothing's original anymore. All stories are influenced by what came before it," Edward said.

"True. But if I'm going to watch the exact same story only with different actors, slightly different dialogue, and a different location, then something better explode. That all I'm saying. I'm fine if all movies are the same, just make something explode and I won't care anymore." Edward laughed and Jasper felt a swooping in his stomach at the sound.

They got their tickets and moved into the lobby, stopping in front of the concessions counter. Jasper tried to decide what he wanted to eat. His nausea from earlier had gone, but he didn't want to ruin the date by getting sick and puking popcorn. Even though Edward was a doctor, puking was the most unromantic thing that Jasper could picture happening.

When it was their turn Jasper just ordered a bottle of water. He turned to Edward to let him order, but Edward refused anything.

"Not hungry?" Jasper asked as they walked to their theatre.

"No, I ate before I came. I was starving when I got home from the hospital and couldn't wait."

"I meant to ask you, how was the walk back?" Jasper felt guilty about that, knowing that it would have taken Edward at least half-an-hour to get back to the hospital. If Edward had waited, Jasper would have asked his mother to drive Edward back, but when he turned around to recommend it, Edward had been gone.

"Invigorating." Jasper waited for Edward to say more, but Edward was already walking towards the seats. Following him, Jasper tried to think of something to say, but came up with nothing.

"I'm glad you're feeling better," Edward said when they sat down, "I was worried you'd be too sick to come."

"Well, I slept all afternoon so that helped a lot." Edward nodded in agreement, and they slipped into silence, Edward looked forward and watched the ads playing on the screen and Jasper picked the label of his water bottle. Jasper, again, tried to find something to ask Edward, but his mind was blank. Everything he would normally ask on a first date didn't seem to apply here. He knew what Edward did for a living; there wasn't enough time to ask about family, or hobbies. All Jasper could think to ask was what Edward's favourite colour was. And no way in hell was he going to ask that. It was just too lame a question.

However, the silence began to gnaw at him, making him crazy and before he could stop himself he blurted out the only thing he had thought of, "What's your favourite colour?"

Edward laughed loudly and covered his mouth with his hand when the people around them turned around to look at them, "Where did that come from?"

"Sorry," Jasper muttered, "but the silence was driving me nuts. It was the first thing that popped into my head."

"Red. My favourite colour is red. Yours?"

"Green," Jasper answered. And just like that, the conversation was over again. Jasper didn't feel uncomfortable. He didn't thing anything about Edward could make him feel uncomfortable. But sitting in silence worried Jasper. It gave him too much time to think about whether Edward was having a good time. Would he think he had made a mistake in asking Jasper out? What if he didn't ask Jasper out again? "This has been a nice time, but I don't think it'll work out. See you at your next appointment." Jasper didn't like that at all.

Finally the movie started, allowing Jasper to immerse himself in violence and sweaty, shirtless men for two wonderful hours. At one point in the movie, Jasper's hand brushed Edward's when he was reaching for his water. Jasper quickly pulled away from the ice-cold hand lying on the armrest. He didn't feel any air-conditioning, and wondered how Edward could be so cold. Years of dealing with an inconsistent body had taught Jasper to bring a sweater with him wherever he went, in case he got cold; just as he always had a t-shirt on, in case he got too hot. He leaned over so he could speak to Edward quietly. He heard Edward's breath catch, but continued until his mouth was level with Edward's ear.

"Would you like my sweater?" He whispered.

"What?"

"My sweater," Jasper grabbed his sweater off the chair next to his and dropped it in Edward's lap, "I noticed that your hand is freezing, so would you like to use my sweater? I don't need it now."

Edward picked the sweater up from his lap, muttered a quiet 'thank you' and put it on. Jasper thought he saw Edward smell the collar, and found himself extremely pleased that he had given Edward his sweater. With any luck, when he got it back it would smell of Edward.

After giving Edward his sweater, Jasper was no longer able to focus on the movie. He constantly watched Edward out of the corner of his eye, every shift of Edward's body, every sigh, drawing his attention. He didn't even notice when the movie ended until Edward turned to ask him a question.

"Would you like a drink?"

"What?" Jasper asked, not completely hearing the question.

"A drink? Maybe some coffee or tea? There's a little diner down the street we could go to so we can talk." Edward stood up and removed the sweater, handing it to Jasper.

"Sure." When Edward turned his back, Jasper took a quick sniff of the sweater. Edward's smell had permeated the fabrics. Jasper let the smell fill his senses. It was light and sweet and Jasper wanted more.

They walked quietly to the diner and got a table in the corner. After ordering their drinks—chamomile tea for Jasper, a coffee for Edward—Edward leaned back into his booth and launched into questioning Jasper.

"So what do you do?" He asked. Jasper was pleased that he didn't immediately assume that he didn't have a job. It was another thing to add to the ever-growing list of reasons why Jasper wanted to know Edward better.

"I'm a journalist. For a newspaper back home."

"Really? How does that work with you here?"

"Well, I do the national news. Don't really need to be in New Haven to write about that. My boss is letting me cover the stories from here and then send them in."

"And do you like it?"

Jasper smiled, thinking about the job that had taught him so much about the world and himself. "Yeah, I love it. I love getting to the bottom of an issue and finding out the truth. I do that a lot with the national news, especially when reporting on politics or social issues. I can't always print what I find; sometimes it's just not important to the piece. But I always learn something new."

Their drinks arrived, and Jasper watched amused as the waitress spoke with Edward for a good five minutes about his family. Edward tried to imply that he was on a date but the women either didn't care, or didn't understand, and kept talking. Finally, they were left alone. Jasper chuckled when Edward started grumbling about nosey, annoying women.

"So what are you reporting now?" Edward asked, blowing on his coffee to cool it down.

"Nothing. I'm waiting for my boss to give me a story. But I should probably watch the news to see what's been going on. I've been out of touch for the past few days." Jasper frowned. He had forgotten about work. When he got home he would need to turn on the news. Otherwise Matthews would give him a story and he'd have no fucking idea what it was about.

"What about you?" Jasper asked, taking a sip of his tea, "How are you possibly old enough to be a doctor? Residency sure, but full-fledged doctor?"

Edward laughed and put his coffee on the table, "Well, the only way to explain it is that I'm brilliant." His cocky smirk caused an unexpected reaction from Jasper. Normally something like that would make him aroused, or at least shut down his brain in a lust-filled fog. Instead he blushed. Blushed for a reason he didn't fucking understand. There was nothing embarrassing about what Edward had said. Maybe he was blushing because he had expected a different reaction?

Willing the redness to leave his face, Jasper decided that there was no time like the present to lay out all his cards, every worry he was having. He was already blushing, how could it fucking get worse?

"If you're so brilliant then why are you here?" He asked. Subtly had never been one of Jasper's strong points. He hated when someone implied something. Better to just say it and deal with the consequences. He couldn't count the amount of times that had backfired on him.

"Excuse me?" Edward asked taken aback. He crossed his arms and fixed Jasper with a cold stare.

"Why are you here? Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled. You're hot, we get along great, and you are smart so I won't feel like I'm talking to an idiot, but you're my doctor. You've seen my charts. Hell, you probably know the results of my tests today before even I do. So why are you investing in me?" He had to know. He had to know that it wasn't pity, or curiosity, or any fucking charity. He also had to know that when everything went south, Edward would be okay and accepting.

Edward glared out the diner window, unmoving except when he would swallow or suddenly exhale violently. Jasper waited, imagining all the horrible things that Edward could possibly be thinking and how he could react. Jasper looked down at the table and spotted Edward's cup of coffee still completely full. He suddenly had a vivid image of Edward throwing the hot coffee in his face, storming out of the diner, and vowing to never speak to Jasper ever again. Jasper looked up to see that Edward's glare had now turned on him.

Then Edward spoke, the cold never leaving his eyes, "I want to be here. I told you that before. I'm not doing it for charity. I don't feel bad for you. Am I upset that you're sick, of course. Will I encourage you to do all you can to get better? Naturally. But I don't pity you. I'm here because I like you. Please don't insult me by thinking otherwise."

Jasper felt truly ashamed for thinking about Edward like that. He had no reason to do it, but past experience crept up on him, driving him to accuse the one person in this town who treated him normal.

"I'm sorry Edward. I really am. I don't think you're like that," Edward snorted, and Jasper smiled apologetically, "Fine, I don't think you're completely like that. I guess I just had to know that you're really in this. Because when I'm too sick I don't want you to get hurt, and—"

"I'm an adult, Jasper, " Edward cut in, "Let me make my own decisions. I'm in this, regardless of the outcome."

"You're sure?"

"Yes. And this ends this discussion. No pushing me away, no trying to keep me safe. You won't bring it up tomorrow or ever again."

"Tomorrow?" Jasper asked.

"Yeah. I have lunch around one and was hoping we could meet."

Jasper ignored the damn butterflies in his stomach and the way his heart was racing, "My mom will have the car tomorrow for work. But you could come to the house."

"Great." Edward smiled, his beautiful, light features replacing the terrifying ones from earlier. "I should probably get you home. It's late and you're looking a little pale."

Jasper didn't have the courage to tell Edward that his paleness had nothing to do with feeling sick. Edward had been truly terrifying, but that still didn't keep Jasper from wanting to be with him. He leaned over to get his sweater from the bench when he noticed that Edward's coffee was still completely full.

"We don't have to go. You haven't touched your coffee, I can wait." Jasper pushed the mug closer to Edward to show that he really was okay with waiting.

"I'm done. I've had enough." Jasper didn't think it had been touched at all. The mug was completely clean; there were no stray coffee marks anywhere. Shrugging, Jasper slid out of the bench and followed Edward out the door.

Getting ready for bed, Jasper couldn't keep his thoughts away from Edward. That he was willing to get to know Jasper, knowing that very soon he would die, touched Jasper beyond words. Apart from the fact that Edward was the sexiest man Jasper had ever met, and he had fantasised about Edward several times that day, including a dirty dream, Edward was also kind, smart, funny, and had no intention of leaving.

Jasper had experienced that before. Since getting sick, all his ex-boyfriend had left when things got too difficult. Ryan had been his boyfriend when he had first been diagnosed. He had stuck around for a few months, but slowly distanced himself from Jasper. He wouldn't come home some nights, or would back out of plans they had together. Eventually, Ryan said that Jasper's illness was too much for him to handle. He said that he loved Jasper, but taking care of Jasper was too much, and he had school and a job. Never mind that he wasn't the one who could barely move most days, yet still called all their friends wondering and worrying about where his boyfriend was.

Ryan was followed by Sean and David, but they left as well. Eventually Jasper decided that it was easier to be on his own. Friends would help out, but only when necessary. Jasper became completely independent. But he missed the connection of a lover; he missed having someone who knew him completely inside and out. Of course, upon refection, Jasper wondered if he had ever known that.

He hung up his hat and went to the window to look at the moon. The moon and stars had always fascinated him. The shear magnitude of the universe and the beauty of it was what made Jasper want to be an astronaut as a child. Of course then he had discovered that you had to be good at math to be an astronaut, and that dream was shot to hell. He couldn't do math to save his life. But he still loved the stars and often wondered who else in the world was looking at the exact same star as him.

Jasper was thinking about his lost dreams of being an astronaut, complete with a fantasy of drinking water in zero gravity and walking around in the suit pretending to be the Stay Puft monster from Ghostbusters, when he saw the same flash of red from two days ago in the forest. He quickly pressed his face up against the window trying to get a better look, but once again it was gone.

Curiosity was getting the better of him. Before he had chalked it up to being tired and imagining things. But it was definitely there this time. Before falling asleep, Jasper resolved that in the morning, before Edward arrived, he would go into the woods and find what the red thing was.

Early the next morning Jasper explored the woods. He went where he had seen it the night before, in a little opening between some trees. But when he got there he didn't find anything. He was completely surrounded by green. There was no bird's nest to suggest that it had been a bird and nothing reflective that could have created an illusion of red. There were just trees.

He walked over ten feet to where he had seen it the first time, and again, there was nothing there. Growling in frustration, Jasper kicked a stump and immediately regretted that decision when his toe began to throb.

"Damn it," he muttered, limping back to the house, "Fucking perfect."

He got some ice for his toe and went into the living room to sit down and watch TV until Edward arrived. Remembering that he was still employed, he grabbed a piece of paper and a pen, turned on the news, and began writing down each story that was on as well as some basic facts about them.

When it got to be 12:30, he wondered if he should prepare anything for them to eat. He was already starving and he hadn't done anything, whereas Edward had been working. He went into the kitchen and looked around. There wasn't much to eat, his mother had yet to go to the store. But there were fixing for sandwiches. Hopefully Edward wasn't picky about what he ate.

As it got closer to one, Jasper began to notice that the butterflies in his stomach had returned. His reaction amused him in an I'm-acting-like-I'm-in-fucking-junior-high kind of way. Mostly, though, it annoyed him. He was an adult, with previous relationships. There was no reason he should be acting like a little boy with a crush. What would be next? Would he pull Edward's hair, stick his tongue out at him, and then push him to the ground?

Actually, those didn't sound like bad things… in the right situation.

When the doorbell rang, Jasper nearly ran to the door before stopping himself. He tried to put on an air of nonchalance, but it was broken the second he saw Edward standing on his porch. A brilliant smile stretched across his face.

"Hey, come on in," Jasper let Edward into the house and led him into the kitchen, "Sorry, but we don't have much food. My mom hasn't shopped, and they aren't use to having me here to eat all their food. But we do have some things for sandwiches." Jasper opened the fridge and began pulling thing out and placing them on the counter.

"Don't worry about me, I'm not hungry." Edward leaned against the counter and watched Jasper who looked at him with an eyebrow raised.

"You didn't eat last night, you didn't even drink your coffee and now you don't want lunch?"

Edward shrugged, "I'm not much of an eater."

"Ah, that must be how you stay so very…"

"Don't say it. Don't you dare," Edward warned teasingly, pushing himself off the counter to tower over Jasper, "I get enough of it with my siblings, I don't need you telling me that I'm too skinny."

"I wasn't going to say skinny," Jasper said, feigning innocence as much as he could. Edward studied him for a few seconds before back off. Jasper waited until he was leaned against the counter again before finishing his statement, "I was going to say trim. That's prettier than skinny."

Edward growled and advanced on Jasper, "Say you're sorry."

"Sorry for what?" Jasper couldn't wipe the half-assed smile off his face. For the first time in a long time he felt completely normal.

"Say you're sorry for teasing me." Edward said coming closer. Jasper shut the fridge door and backed into a corner.

"Would you appreciate it more if I said you were lean? Slim? Slender? Lanky? I'm running out of synonyms."

Edward trapped Jasper in the corner, placing both hands on the counters, "I much prefer to keep my manly ego intact, thank you very much."

Jasper could feel his breath on his face and could smell the sweet undertones of his cologne. He breathed deep, capturing the sent of Edward, the one that he had smelled on his sweater.

"So lanky then. That's what you want me to call you," Jasper scrunched his face to make it look like he was thinking very deeply, "It wouldn't be my first choice, but whatever you want."

Edward looked like he was about to reply until he looked down studying their position for a moment. When he looked back up to Jasper his eyes had seemed to darken considerable, with what Jasper assumed was lust. Edward pushed off the counter, away from Jasper, and walked to the other side of the kitchen. Standing far away from Jasper, he still continued to watch Jasper with darkened eyes.

Jasper stood still, wondering what had just happened. One moment Jasper had been sure that Edward was going to kiss him. It was a kiss that would have been very welcomed. But the next, he was across the room.

"Are you okay?" Jasper asked completely bewildered.

"I'm fine," Edward said, but his voice was tight, and Jasper didn't believe him.

"Okay. Well would you like something to drink?"

"I'm really fine. I just wanted to spend time with you." Edward said.

"Then do you want to sit down?" Jasper walked to the living room and sat on the couch. Edward sat next to him and looked around the room. He seemed to notice everything, and when he looked at the coffee table and saw the icepack sitting on it, his eyes narrowed.

"Why did you need an ice pack? Are you okay?"

"Oh, yeah, I was just in the woods and stubbed my toe. No big deal," Jasper brushed it off.

Edward's lips tightened, "You're sure you're alright?"

"It was just my toe, Edward," Jasper laughed, "I'm fine. I limped back, cursed any and all forest gods that people have ever believed in, and iced it. I'm good."

"I just don't want you hurt," Edward muttered.

Jasper felt the familiar swooping in his stomach again, "You're just saying that cause you're a doctor. It's ingrained in you to take care of everyone."

"Not everyone. Just you. I couldn't care less if anyone else stubs their toe, but you…" Edward trailed off. He turned his head and stared out the window.

The TV in the background was the only noise as Jasper waited for Edward to finish his thought. He desperately wanted to know why Edward cared so much about him. He understood that he did, he just didn't know why. Edward could have whomever he wanted in this town, and he had chosen the new guy, the guy that he hadn't even known for a day and the guy who would leave him in a few weeks or months.

Feeling compelled to touch him; Jasper reached out and grabbed his arm, squeezing it lightly, "Edward?" He softly said.

Edward turned back, the darkness in his eyes before completely gone, "Sorry, kinda dazed there for a moment."

"It's fine. It gave me a chance to catch up on some of the soap opera."

"Well, great, wouldn't want you to get behind on those," Edward laughed.

"Hey, don't knock 'em til you tried 'em!"

"I have, in college. Nothing else was on so I got a little addicted to soap operas. Not as a serious watcher, but the characters were fascinating. My brother Emmett and I watched them together."

"You watched soap operas with your brother?" Jasper had a hard time picturing Edward watching soap operas in the first place, add in watching them with his brother, and Jasper was floored. "Is your brother gay too?"

Edward let out a barking laugh, "No, and if he ever heard you say that he'd pummel you to the ground. He's married. To Rosalie."

"Wait," Jasper thought back to the previous night when Edward had went through his family, "I thought Rosalie was your sister. They're both your siblings?" Jasper tried not to let the horror creep into his voice, but he failed. He felt a little better, though, when Edward started laughing at him.

"We're adopted. No blood."

"Okay, that's slightly less creepy." Still a little creep, he added inwardly.

"Yes," Edward smiled, "You'll meet them someday."

"Really?"

"Yes, but for now I need to get back to work. Can I see you later tonight?" Edward asked.

"What would we do?"

Edward gathered his things, looking at Jasper out of the corner of his eye, "Whatever you want. We can walk in the woods if you'd like."

"Okay. I'll be here."

As soon as the door was closed on Edward, Jasper ran to the window to watch his car pull out. When he realised what he had done, he snorted in disgust. He would have to watch football or something to make up for how lame Edward was making him act.

He couldn't regret it though. It was exciting to feel this way about another person. And judging by the fact that Edward wanted to see him again, he could safely conclude that Edward felt the same. He still had his reservations. But whenever he pictured Edward's face, his reservations flew out the window, and he didn't care about anything except seeing Edward again.

Please Review! ~AJ Kelly