A/N: Here we go again! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, or put this story on alert. Of course, thanks to my lovely beta, without whom this would be an entirely different story.

Alice's POV

"He's not going to get here any faster if you keep staring out the window." Edward's voice was a little too amused. He had finally hung up with Bella about five minutes ago, and had decided to torment me instead. Little did he know that having to listen to the two of them coo and giggle at each other was the worst torment conceivable. I hoped that their infatuation was just the result of only having been dating for two weeks, rather than a more permanent condition. I really liked Bella, and thought she was perfectly suited for Edward, but I couldn't help feeling a little lonely. Hopefully this Jasper would make a good friend for me. At the very least, he would make good eye candy.

"I'm just curious about him." That was a bit of an understatement; I was absolutely dying here! Other than the single picture in his file, one where he wasn't even smiling, I didn't even know what he looked like! I had spent hours imagining his smile, and the way he laughed. His report said he was five foot ten, almost an entire foot taller than I was, but it didn't tell me how he carried himself. Did he hold his head up high, like a war general? Or was he more reserved, hunching into himself?

"Well, try not to overwhelm him. You know you kind of have that effect on people."

It wasn't really my fault that I got a wee bit overenthusiastic at times. After so long spent in the institution, staring at nothing but the same white walls, everything was exciting to me. I just didn't understand how a person could look outside at the world and not see just how amazing it is. "I already promised."

Every second seemed to take ten. Carlisle and Esme should be here with Jasper in less than fifteen minutes, but every minute was longer than the last. I looked at the clock. My entire conversation with Edward had taken less than a minute.

"Alice." Edward's voice had that patronizing edge I hated so much. "Don't build this up too much. You know he may be a little . . ." He trailed off, apparently trying to find a word that wasn't too demeaning. "Different."

"Don't you have a girlfriend to moon over?" I made my voice as biting as I possibly could. Edward and I had always been best friends, but sometimes he drove me absolutely crazy. He always felt like he knew better than everyone else, no matter how little he actually understood. I might not always get everything right, but I deserved to be able to make my own choices and mistakes.

I could tell that point was lost on him as his eyes glazed over at the mention of his girlfriend. Please, God, never let me get that pathetic. Gravel rumbled in the driveway, and I bounced up just in time to see the red Tahoe pull up to the garage. "They're here!" My voice squeaked embarrassingly, but Edward didn't seem to notice.

I'm sure we looked absolutely ridiculous, with our faces pushed to the glass, but we both wanted the first look. Jasper was sitting in the backseat, his head downwards. I wondered if he was asleep back there. How could anyone fall asleep on the way to a brand-new home? Wasn't he at all interested in us, or anything that was happening to him?

Carlisle leaned back and spoke to him, and the blond head came up for the first time. Edward and I both ducked down, not wanting to be caught staring. We exchanged looks. "Well, here he is. You don't seem quite as excited now."

Of course I didn't. I was too busy being overtaken by nerves to be excited. What if he didn't like us? Like me? What if we ended up having to send him back?

"Alice? Edward? I saw you two in the window, so I know you're here!" My father's voice was indulgent. "Come on out and meet Jasper."

We had arranged for Emmett and Rose to be out on a date tonight, so that Jasper wouldn't get bombarded the minute he came in the door. Emmett alone could be enough to absolutely terrify him, so we thought it might be better to wait until Jasper had at least had a chance to settle in.

Like guilty children, we crept out into the front hallway. Jasper was standing awkwardly between Esme and Carlisle, his worried eyes darting between them and us. I noticed he was holding a small duffel bag over his shoulder and nothing else. Surely he had more than that?

The tension was growing rapidly, so I stepped forward and put out a hand. "Hi, I'm Alice." I could barely keep myself from jumping up and down. "I'm glad to meet you."

Our eyes met, and I felt the world stop. I had never met him before, but I felt like I had known him all my life. He was the man I had been waiting for. I had never been more sure of anything before.

His eyes dilated and darkened, the grey turning to blue. He felt something, too — he must have. Nervously, he returned the gesture and lightly enfolded my hand in his. His touch was warm, my small hand all but swallowed up in his big one. "Nice to meet you, too." The words were directed downwards as we broke eye contact.

Edward didn't step any closer, just raised a hand slightly. "I'm Edward."

Jasper hunched his shoulders. "Jasper."

"Cool."

"Cool."

It was a truly bizarre exchange, especially considering that Jasper never once looked up, but it seemed to work for them. We stepped back so the three of them could come into the foyer. Jasper was looking around from the corners of his eyes, but remained quiet.

"Why don't I show you where to put your things, and then give a tour of the house?" Carlisle suggested.

"Okay." It was little more than a whisper.

"I'll do it!" The words popped out without any conscious thought. "Come on, Jasper." I held out my hand again, and this time he took it without any hesitation. I tugged him forward and out of the hall, keeping my movements gentle. "Do you need help getting the rest of your stuff?"

"This is it." Almost as soon as it was just the two of us, he lost his shyness about eye contact. In fact, he was starting to stare. I couldn't tell if he were as intrigued by me as I was by him, or if he were just wondering if I had lost my mind.

That was it? The duffel didn't even seem large enough to hold his clothing, much less the assorted possessions he should have accumulated. How could he not have more to show for nearly eighteen years on earth? I didn't want him to feel bad, though, so I just nodded. "Okay, then, let's go."

He ran his fingers lightly up the railing, his gaze moving from me to the various family pictures and pieces of artwork that adorned the wall behind the staircase. I let him move at his own pace, occasionally stopping to look closer. "Is that Rosalie and Emmett?"

I looked past him to the picture, which had been taken when we all went to Ireland last summer. "Yes."

"He loves her." It wasn't a question, so I didn't answer. I just waited until he began walking again.

"This is the second floor. It's where most of us sleep. The first door is Rose's, then mine. Emmett is across the hall, and Carlisle and Esme are down at the end. This one is going to be yours."

I nudged the door open when he made no move to do it himself. For a minute, he stood frozen in the doorway. "It's big."

It wasn't any bigger than my own room, and much smaller than Emmett's. Something told me that I was better off not saying that, though. "You don't have your own bathroom, so you and Emmett have to share. In the mornings, though, it's sort of a free-for-all. Rose hogs the bathroom for at least an hour, so I sometimes use yours and Emmett's. So, uh, don't run around the halls naked or anything."

Oh, God, had I just said that out loud? The thought of him naked made the blood rise to my face so quickly that I thought I might explode. Great, he had only been here for ten minutes and probably already thought I was a slut. The familiar feelings of helplessness and self-loathing rose up, and I had to force them down. I closed my eyes, reminding myself that I was safe here, and that I would be fine.

When I opened them, Jasper was watching me strangely. I swallowed hard. Now instead of thinking I was a total slut, he was going to think I was a total freak. Not too much of an improvement. But he said nothing, just laid the duffel in the middle of the bed. "We can decorate it however you want. It's sort of boring because it used to be the guest room."

He was starting to breathe heavily, and I could tell he was stressed out. I decided to give him a minute to regroup. "Oh, I know, I have something for you! You wait here, and I'll get it for you."

He nodded, his face tight. It was taking everything he had for him to hold himself together right now. "I'll be right back."

I jogged back down the stairs and into the living room, where I had left my present. It was gaily wrapped in silver paper with a blue sticky bow on top. It was a nice-looking gift, if I did say so myself. Carlisle stopped me as I started back towards the stairs. "Is he all right?"

I could have told him the truth, but a part of me felt like it would be betraying Jasper to do so. I didn't want him turned into some sort of zoo exhibit on his very first night here. "He's unpacking."

My father looked down and noticed what I was holding. "What's that?"

"A little present for him. Sort of a 'welcome to the family' gift." I was starting to wonder if this had been a good idea. "It's small."

He raised an eyebrow at the rather large box, but smiled at me. "That was very sweet of you, Alice. Tell Jasper to come on down as soon as he's ready, so we can go over the house rules with him."

"Do we have to right now?" At his confused look, I continued. "I mean, he looks really lost up there. Maybe it should wait until he's had a good night's sleep."

He nodded. "All right, we'll save the long talk for later. I still need to speak to him before he lays down, though."

"Okay." I judged that I had given Jasper enough time to get a grip on himself. The door was closed when I went up there, but I wasn't sure if I had closed it on my way out, or if he had done it himself. I knocked softly. "Jasper?"

"Come in." He hadn't moved at all since I had left him a few minutes ago. His eyes trailed down from my own to the present in my hands. "What's that?"

Now I felt incredibly stupid. "It's a present for you. To, you know, say hi."

He stared at it as if my words made absolutely no sense. I nudged it into his hands. He still didn't move, just traced a finger over the bow. "You kind of have to open it."

No smile, which would have been the response of anyone else in the family. Tentatively, he slid one finger under the wrapping and pulled. He didn't unwrap the present like Emmett, who would have ripped the paper off in a shower of sparkles, or Edward, who would have kept the entire piece whole. Jasper unwrapped his gift one increment at a time, as if he expected me to snatch it back at any moment.

After what seemed like an eternity, a plain box was revealed. I was practically bouncing at this point, eager to see his reaction. Finally, he slid the lid off and lifted his present up to the light.

It was a kiwi. More specifically, a life-sized plush kiwi bird. I had searched all over the Internet to find it for him, nearly giddy with the thought that I could get him something he might actually like.

Or maybe he didn't like it at all. His brow furrowed as he let the box fall to the floor, holding the toy in both hands. He turned it over and over, as if the answers might be written somewhere on its furry body. My heart sank as the seconds ticked on. "It's all right if you don't like it. Carlisle just said that it was your favorite animal, and I thought he was cute."

"I like him." His voice sounded very far away. "Thank you, Alice. He may be the nicest present I've ever gotten."

I would have thought he was joking, except for the deadly serious tone in his voice. I wondered how many presents he had received in his life that had been chosen just for him. Not by some nameless Social Services worker or well-meaning donor, but specifically for Jasper Whitlock. He set the little bird on the bed, right next to the pillow, the small gesture somehow making the room look a lot less empty. He touched its beak gently before looking me straight in the eyes. "Thank you, Alice." He was completely sincere, I could tell. His eyes were practically glowing with it.

Unexpected warmth spread through me. Honestly, what was wrong with me? I had barely even met the guy, and I was already hanging on his every word. All this even though I could tell there was something wrong with him. Virtually none of his reactions so far had been normal. But still, there was something there, something I couldn't quite put my finger on.

"You're welcome." A tiny smile formed on his lips. "Do you need any help unpacking?" It was the most transparent thing I could have said. His bag wasn't even completely full, and would take him less than ten minutes to unpack. His smile grew, revealing a dimple on one side. Obviously, he saw right through me, but I was so dazzled by that grin that I couldn't even be embarrassed.

The moment was ruined by Edward bounding in the door. Instantly, Jasper's smile disappeared, and he resumed his usual position of studying the carpet. I shot Edward a glare that could have killed a snake. He shrugged back at me. "Mom doesn't want to cook tonight, so Emmett and Rose are getting pizza. Jasper, what do you like on yours?"

I could have predicted Jasper's answer. "Anything. I'm not picky." He seemed absolutely terrified of having an opinion of his own about anything.

"We usually get one with everything, one pepperoni, and one with mushrooms and olives. Is that all right with you?" Edward pushed him gently, trying to get a more definite answer.

"That's fine."

"Fine, then. I'll call you two for dinner. Alice, do you think Jasper would like to see something besides the bedrooms?"

His tone made me want to kick him, and if Jasper hadn't been standing there, I probably would have. Though it was only play between siblings, I didn't want him to have to see any violence in this house. Not yet, when we were all still so new to each other. "Yes, Edward, I was planning on it when you so rudely interrupted."

He smirked. "I'll let you get back to it, then." He vanished in a flurry of footsteps.

Jasper stood still, watching me with those unfathomable eyes. They had been grey when he first arrived, I was sure of it. Now they were a soft blue, the color of the sky early in the morning. I had heard that some people had eyes that changed color with their mood, and hoped that it was the case here. He seemed to be a little more comfortable when it was just the two of us, and it wasn't like I minded spending time with him. "As my rude brother put it, I should be showing you the rest of the house."

I led him back down the hallway. "Edward sleeps up on the third floor, which is also where Dad's study is. This is the door that leads up there." I didn't bother opening it, because, really, who wants to look at a staircase leading up?

Apparently, Jasper did, because he was staring at the door. "It locks?"

I followed his line of vision and saw the small deadbolt near the top of the door. It had been painted over several times until it was almost invisible, so I had never noticed it before. "Huh. I guess it does. It used to lock from both sides, but Dad got sick of Edward storming off into his room and locking the door, so he replaced the knob with a one that didn't lock."

He didn't seem to have heard me. Instead he continued to stare at the deadbolt, his body trembling slightly. "It locks."

The source of his fear hit me so suddenly that I felt sick. Jasper was afraid of the lock on the outside of the door, because he was afraid we locked Edward up there. And if we locked up Edward, whom Mom and Dad had legally adopted and trusted, what would we do to him? After all, abuse at the hands of adults was nothing new to him; he had come to expect it.

I wasn't sure how to soothe his fears. This was really something for Mom and Dad to deal with, but they weren't here right now. It was only Jasper and I, and I was only going to have one chance to get this right. His breathing had quickened, and I knew we were on the verge of having a major meltdown. Honesty and directness were the best policy, right?

"Jasper? Hey, look at me, please." He did, though it seemed to be a great effort for him to take his eyes off that lock, even for a minute. His tongue came out to lick his lips nervously. "No one uses that lock. I'll bet it's been painted over so many times that it doesn't even move anymore. You're going to be fine here, all right?"

I couldn't tell if he believed me or not, so I went a step further. Praying that what I had just said was true, I reached up and tugged the metal slide. It was up so high that I had to stand on my tiptoes to get any leverage, but I pulled it as hard as I could. Nothing happened. "See? It's stuck."

My words seemed to break his trance and he crept up next to me. With his greater height, it was easy for him to reach up and pull the lock himself. At first, it didn't move, but when he used all of his strength the bolt slid closed. Small paint chips rained down, and the metal protested the movement with an ugly grating sound. Obviously, the thing hadn't moved in years. The trembling stopped, but he remained tense and wary. "Does my door have a lock like that?"

I wanted to say no, but I honestly wasn't sure. I gave my own door a quick glance, and didn't see anything. "I don't know. Let's check."

He followed me like a beaten puppy, so close that he was almost walking on my heels. Luckily, his door was clear. It locked from the inside, just like my own door, but there was no way for a person outside to lock him inside. Only then did he back out of my personal space, allowing about a foot of dead air between us. Normally, I couldn't stand being crowded, but my body protested losing him. "Come on, let's look around downstairs."

The tour led us through the living room, where Edward was watching a movie. He waved from the couch. "Hey, again."

"Hey." I was starting to wonder if there had been a parrot somewhere in Jasper's family tree. Most of what he said to the rest of the family was a direct repetition of what was said to him.

"Kitchen, dining room, front room — all that's pretty boring." I opened the door that led to the second garage in the basement, the one where Rosalie kept her cars. Jasper's eyes widened as he took in the number of cars, both fancy ones and clunkers. "This is Rosalie's woman lair. I don't even pretend to know what she does down here, but she's great at fixing up the old cars. She's pretty much kicked the ass of every male mechanic in her class." I was proud of my sister, of the way she had taken on a male-dominated profession and risen to the top.

"Wow." His blue eyes were fixed on the little red Porsche. "That's a nice car."

I felt my heart flutter at his words, which was completely ridiculous. He liked the car, that was it. "That's mine. Or it will be, when I turn eighteen." I wasn't quite sure how I was going to wait another year and a half, but at least I could look at it whenever I wanted.

He looked at me for a minute, like he wanted to say something, but in the end he was silent. I closed the door. "Rose doesn't like anyone being in there when she's not around, so be warned." Not much rivaled Rosalie when she was in a mood, and I didn't want Jasper caught up in her ire.

"Jasper, Alice, food!" Emmett's huge voice came booming down the stairs.

I could almost see Jasper shutting down as we went back up the stairs. He was afraid of these newcomers, though I was starting to think he was afraid of strangers in general. I lightly touched his shoulder, but he didn't seem to notice.

Emmett was waiting for us as soon as we made it up the stairs, apparently dying to get a look at our new brother. Jasper backed into me, trying to keep a distance between them. He was trapped between Emmett and the stairs, with no way out. I could see what was coming, but not quickly enough to stop it. Two things happened nearly simultaneously. Emmett swung a hand out, no doubt wanting to give his brother a slap on the back, and Jasper, in a move that would have done a gymnast proud, vaulted to the side, avoiding the touch and slamming into Rosalie.

She dropped the entire six-pack of sodas that she had been clutching in favor of trying to stay upright. Two of the cans exploded, spinning in circles and spraying everyone's ankles with fizzing cola.

"Emmett!" Dad's voice was exasperated. There wasn't even a hint of anger in it, and it wasn't directed at him anyway, but Jasper flinched visibly. I could tell that our father had noticed, because his tone softened. "Did I tell you not to do that just a few minutes ago? Jasper's tired and it's his first night here. Do you think you could refrain from terrorizing him? Now get this cleaned up. Rosalie, please go see if there are any more drinks in the basement."

Emmett gave a good-natured grumble, not the slightest bit put out by Dad's tone. "Okay, then. Sorry, Jasper, I just wanted to say hi and welcome to the family."

"It's all right. Hi." The words were mumbled into the floor. The silence grew uncomfortable, the only sound the hissing coming from the soda that Rose had thrown in the sink. Jasper was staring at me from under his lashes, begging me to help him.

Why he had chosen to attach to me, of all people, I would never understand. I was too little to physically protect him, too damaged to do it mentally. But he had chosen me, and I was determined not to break that trust. "Jasper and I can set the table." I turned to him. "Come on, I'll show you where the plates and stuff are."

For another second, he hesitated, indecision written all over his features. He wasn't able to shake his fear as easily as he pretended, and I could tell that even I had become suspect. I reached for him, but stopped just short of his fingers. I wanted to see if he would make the final move himself. I noticed that both of my parents were watching him also, as though this were some sort of test. Slowly, tentatively, he stretched his hand out the rest of the way, letting our fingers touch. I felt a small surge of hope. His eyes met and held mine. "All right, let's set the table."