Disclaimer:
Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all it's characters
JPOV
Collecting my things in the office, I thought about the conversation I had with Bella Swan. She was obviously a new student. I'd never seen her around school before. Reaching for the memo's on the corner of my desk, I checked the list of new students in the English and History classes I substituted for. The girl seemed to be the right age to attend either of the classes. But as I went through the list, I found that at the moment. No Bella Swan was on it, strange.
Putting the list back, I decided to check first thing tomorrow who this silent and mysterious girl was. She wasn't like the regular students that attended Forks High School. There was something off... something I couldn't put together in words. Instead some tiny part in the back of my mind, and the vibes I felt rush through my body warned me to be on edge. But at the same time, there was something else that intrigued me about the girl. Almost drawing me to her. Perhaps I could find out more about her tomorrow. Grabbing my last things, I locked up the small office I shared.
Ready to go home, when the whistling and howling of a group of boys caught my attention. I walked over the parking lot to where all the action was coming from, only to see Bella standing there also. Staring at a group in front of her. All the guys were standing around the shiny Audi I had seen earlier when arriving at work. I had admired it, the little boy inside of me rejoicing as I had awkwardly run my hands over the hood.
But now as I stood next to Bella, it wasn't the car or the group men surrounding it that called for my attention. Instead my eyes glued onto the little figure telling them of. Fierce as she spoke to them, her eyes showing the most impressive scowl I had ever seen in my life.
All I could see was her face, crowned by dark spiky hair that bounced at every move she made. The fire in her voice, mirrored in her eyes but her face a perfect pale complexion, showing she was completely in control of her emotions... and the group of boys. All that registered in a split second, that and the flowing scarf, loosely wrapped around her neck.
As I stopped next to Bella my hands ached to feel how soft the delicate skin of her neck would be as I would gently slip the scarf from her neck. Kissing down at the spot currently hidden. It was the most intense desire I had ever felt. "Wow."
Embarrassed to let out my own surprise at feeling such things and allowing myself to get caught ogling a student by a student. I stare ahead, trying not to show my eyes to the inquisitive girl I had met earlier today or look at the girl in the car. It works for a few second, then a not so soft punch to the shoulder makes me almost fall over. Catching my balance, I stand up straight and look sideways.
Just in time to see Bella roll her eyes at me as she raises an eyebrow and nods at the car. "I know the car is great, that is why my sister just scared away half of the male high school population."
"Not the car, the girl in it. Wait is she your sister?" Staring at the girl next to me with disbelieve, I can't hide my surprise or stop my mouth from falling open.
Before me, I see Bella's eyes widen also as she stares at me, then at the car, and back to me again. Obviously as surprised as I am, then she visibly starts plotting a plan. Her pretty face, pulled in a frown as she bites her lip for a second.
"Yes, would you like me to introduce you to her?" Without further warning, or bothering to wait for me to answer her question. She grabs my hand in a tight grip. Starting to lead me to her sister who is still sitting in her car. I feel nervous, wondering if the shirt I'm wearing is young enough. Mentally I slap myself. Wrong Jasper.
You should not even want to bother about looking younger, you should stop her now and not allow this girl to introduce you to her sister. Her sister who is the most attractive and heavenly creature you have ever set eyes on.
Struggling to pull my hand free, I notice the strength in her grasp.
Then suddenly the car moves, my hand is free and Bella jumps forward a few steps so fast.. I hardly noticed her moving. "Alice." Shouting after her sister, the beauty of her voice echoes over the parking lot.
Relief floods through my body, saved by some miracle.
Or perhaps the girl that is the object of your sudden infatuation.
"Well..." Shifting my weight, I stand in the parking lot. Looking around to see, at least no one else is paying attention to us. "That was the weirdest, almost introduction I think I ever experienced before. Thanks for trying, perhaps I'll see you both in school sometime this week."
My voice sounds disappointed, and I feel angry for feeling just that instead of the relief I felt only seconds ago. Then I feel the buzzing in my pocket, looking down at the same time as Bella. I feel like my brother has just saved me from something even more awkward.
"You should probably get that." Walking backwards, she gives me a small wave before turning round. Leaving me without any more words said.
I turn around and start walking back to where my car is parked, reaching deep down in my pocket and retrieving the cell phone. Flipping it open, I can see it is the hospital.
On the other end of the line, a woman asks for my name and if I will take a collect call from my brother. "Yes, this is him speaking and please put my brother on the phone."
The beeping on the other end, let's me know the call is transferred and sure enough a few seconds later the familiar voice belonging to my brother is on the other end. "Hi Jasper, it's me."
For a moment the silence stretches out between us.
"How is Forks?" His voice is still kind of rough from drowning a few weeks back, or perhaps I missed it and this is the way he has sounded for a while. Simply changing as he grew up, without me in the past years.
"It's like I never left, except this time I'm not the student." Laughing at my lame joke, I open the car door and get in. Sitting down in the worn down seat of my old car. "How is the hospital?"
Edward pauses on the other side of the line. "They want to let me go, discharge me. But dad isn't here to sign for me. And so I was.. well I thought.." He doesn't finish the sentence, his voice thick with emotions. And my heart breaks for him.
I was older, I could handle myself. But my brother has been left behind at an age too young.
"I'm pulling out of the parking lot now. Hang in there, brother, I'll come and get you." Holding my voice together, as my heart swells up. The nervous chuckle at the end of the line makes me smile with hope.
"Thanks." His voice cracks again, then the line disconnects, Edward has hung op on me. Throwing my phone on the dashboard, I check the little clock. It says 16:06. Sighing I push down my foot and hit the gas pedal, accelerating to a speed well over the allowed limit in this little town. Wishing to finish the three and a halve hour drive, as fast as possible.
When I do finally pull into the parking lot of the Northwest hospital and medical center it is dark. I've made it in good time, but visitor hours are over. Leaving plenty of room at the front for me to park. Parking in the first spot available, I head to the entrance. Hoping I'm not too late to pick up Edward.
As soon as I get directions to the floor he has been staying on for the past 6 weeks, I rush up the stairs. Turning around the corner, I am met with the sight of my brother sitting on a bench. Already dressed, his feet still bare. Holding on to the edge with both hands as he leans forward looking at the ground.
For a moment I'm speechless as I stare at him. Staring and seeing how his shirt is loose, showing he has either lost weight while staying here for the past weeks or isn't wearing his own clothes. His hair, wild and sticking out in odd angles. His entire body language radiates defeat.
Looking up, sensing he his being watched, Edward's eyes meet mine. Dark rings around them, accentuated by the pale tone of his skin make me feel even more guilty for waiting so long to come and see him. I'm relieved to at least find a sparkle in the deep green greeting me.
"Jasper."
Getting to his feet, he makes it over with impressive speed for someone who has just had an operation and 6 weeks of intense physical therapy. Crushing me into a tight hug, I feel how he is almost as tall as me now. Something I hadn't noticed the last time I held him.
"Thank you, thank you so much for coming to get me, I have no where else to go." Whispering in my neck, he holds on to me tight. "The doctor won't discharge me without adult supervision."
The dark spot in the pit of my stomach, pulls tight together as the truth behind his words hit me. An adult only needs other adult supervision, if the treating physician feels there is a risk discharging him or her.
When Edward finally let's go, I look him in the eyes. Connecting in the same way, we had almost 7 weeks a go now. The morning after he first woke up in the hospital. It now makes me wish that I hadn't let my dad take him to Seattle to get operated and allow him to be locked up in a medical center, alone and treated like he was a child. My brother isn't a child anymore.
"Just let me sign the papers and then we are free to go."
Leaving him alone I go to find the nurse in charge of his floor. She smiles when she sees me, collecting some papers already waiting at the edge of her desk. Obviously, I'm expected.
"You're father couldn't be reached this last few weeks. Have you had a chance discussing taking your brother home with him?" The questions is probably meant to be a precaution, but instead it just makes my skin crawl more.
"No." Trying to sound neutral, I lean over the desk and take the papers from her hands. "Should he have?" Flipping through the papers, they are just some simple statements. Signing them, I hand them back to her and watch her pick up a card.
Her face slightly flushed as she hands it to me.
" Taking your brother home is a big responsibility. One that should not be taken lightly. Especially with his current state of.. well ehm...things can get difficult." Struggling to continue speaking, she looks away.
Her silence and obvious struggle make me feel slightly uncomfortable. Remembering the way my brother cried in my arms, showing remorse over what had happened. I had felt sure, he was able to make a fresh start of provided the right environment and support. Now, I doubted myself for a moment.
" I am qualified to work with children his age." Hoping my choice of words emphasizes I'm an adult. She doesn't look up but stops reaching for her coffee, confirming to me that she is listening to my words.
" Besides that, I am also his closest family member and can offer him a safe environment while he continues to grow stronger. And will do my best to support him through all, watch over him and show him how much he is loved in this world. That is all I can do." Sticking the card in my wallet, I give her a weak smile. She looks up at me, just in time to show her eyes are wet with tears.
"That sounds like the best thing he could wish for right now. Good luck." Grabbing my hand, she shakes it timidly then picks up a paper bag. "These are his medication, they are labelled with instructions. Perhaps you can call his doctor in the morning, he can explain things to you." Without further warning, she let's go and returns to her other paperwork. Leaving me to return to Edward.
When I do, he is still standing. This time with his back to me, staring outside in the dark night. Pointing at his feet, I can't help but mock him. "No shoes?"
Slowly he turns around, his eyes vacant as he stares down also, brows pulled in a frown as he wiggles his toes. "No shoes."
The hollow repetition of my own question gives me chills.
"Let's go home, I parked at the entrance so you should be able to make it to the car without too much trouble."
Picking up a small bag with some of his things, I push the brown paper bag in with the rest of the few belongings my father has brought him. Swinging it over one shoulder, I point towards the exit. "Let's go."
Edward looks at me, holding his bag and then sighs. Following me without a word as I start walking towards the elevator, opting to take the easy route this time. As he pushes the button for us, leaning against the wall, I look at him. He looks at me in return, almost like he is reading me.
As he does, the comfortable silence reminds me of this afternoon. Perhaps that was why I felt comfortable around Bella, she has some of the same quality as Edward. The ability to know what you are thinking, without you even saying it out loud.
When the doors open, I press the button for the ground floor and we both get in. Standing shoulder to shoulder with my younger brother. Edward turns to me, taking a deep breath before talking. "I don't want to go to the house and pick up any of my things, do you think I can borrow some of your things and buy what else I need in Forks?"
His eyes plead for me to say yes, so I just nod. Seeing immediate relief in them.
"Is there anything in particular you need, some larger shops might still be open now. We could buy them on the way home?" Remembering that my own wardrobe is pretty scarce at best.
Edward looked at his feet again and wiggled his toes again. "Sure."
The humor in his voice made me relax, knowing a part of him had returned just as fast as it had disappeared earlier this evening. Making a mental note, I followed Edward outside. My car, the one I had bought when graduating was in the front row and easily to spot. As I ran to open the door for my brother who in return manages to get to my car without even wincing, as if walking on bare feet outside is a daily event. The slight down poor of rain, makes me wish I had brought my coat.
Opening the door, Edward leans over the roof, placing one arm on the door and the other on the roof. "First store that is open?"
Nodding I jump in, waiting for Edward to sit down. "First store it is." Slamming the door closed he gets in and smile. Happy he agrees, I drive away, looking at the medical center in my rearview mirror. Hoping that neither of us ever have to return there.
As it turned out, the first store that was still open, happened to be a Target. Edward frowned, unable to hide his disappointment. But we agreed to stopping at the first store that was open, and Target was it. If he wanted his designer clothes, he shouldn't have insisted on not going home to pick up his things.
After an hour or so, my brother had managed to find some basic t-shirts, jeans, underwear and socks. I added a few hooded sweatshirts, navy blue and a pair of matching dark blue sneakers. As he looked down at the sneakers, tilting his head, I laugh at him. "Come on, you need something on your feet. Sneakers are always comfortable. Besides, at my school all the kids wear them."
For a moment I can see him tense up and immediately I step back, taking the sneakers out of the cart. "Leave them."
His voice is cold, authoritative. Unlike anything I had ever heard him sound.
For a moment he closes his eyes, pinching his nose between his thumb and index finger while taking a very deep breath. Then he opens his eyes again and takes a deep breath. "Sorry Jasper. Please, leave them with the rest of the things. I think they would be very comfortable and the color is a nice blue."
Lowering the sneakers back in the cart, I can see the guilt on his face at snapping at me. It is enough to make me let go what happened, hoping it is a isolated event.
" You just caught me off guard at mentioning school. That's all."
Right. Stupid me. Hadn't thought of that myself. Trying to find a way to smooth over the situation I look around. At the far end, the music section looks as good as any place to make a peace offering.
Pushing the cart in that direction, I'm relieved to find Edward following me. "Would you like to buy something else, perhaps a few of your favorite cd's?"
Feeling like offering a bribe, I pick up the nearest CD and hold it up in the air. Waving it around with a cheesy smile as I wiggled my eyebrows.
It's enough to break the ice again and for a more minutes we spend going through row after row until finally Edward has a selection of some of his favorites. At the last moment throwing in an eighties rock music collection box.
When he see's me looking at it, the corner of his mouth crawling up in a croaked smile. "Something I've come to appreciate while trying to learn myself how to play the guitar."
"Guitar?" Pushing the cart to the check out, I wondered what else I don't know about my brother.
"Yeah sure, it's nice to try my hand at other things. Besides I have had plenty of time on my hands the last year." Referring to the fact that he hasn't been in school, not even finishing High School like our father wanted. Edward starts to unload his things. "But that will change won't it?"
Searching eyes meet mine as he waits for confirmation.
"Perhaps. If you want to, I can put in a good word for you and get you back in." Throwing a couple of bags I got out my wallet and groaned at the amount already showing on the cash register, and not even a third of the things we had picked out had been added to the total.
Edward however surprised me, pushing my hands down and shaking his head the sight of my wallet. " I can pay for my own things."
Retrieving his own wallet from the back pocket of his jeans, he gets out a few hundreds and waits for the lady behind the cash register to finish adding up the total amount. When she does, he hands her the money with a lazy smile. Collecting the bags and immediately starts to walk back to the car. Leaving the poor woman behind with a shocked look on her face and a handful of change. After receiving his change from the stunned woman, I follow him. He is already there, leaning against the side of the car.
"Edward where did you get that money?" Handing him his change, he stuffs it in his pocket with a shrug. "You won't tell me?"
Opening the trunk, we throw all the bags in the back and get in the car. I start the car, waiting for him to answer but instead he just leaned back in the seat.
"Is it legit?"
Finding the teacher in me rise to the occasion, I stare him down. Waiting for him to answer as I take the exit out of the parking lot. Trying to divide my attention between my obstinate brother and the main road.
Very slowly he turns his face to mine. His face tense, jaw clenched shut.
Staring at me, I don't flinch. Knowing this game, a game he had played for many years as a teenager.
Finally he opened his mouth. "Dad gave me the money, saying the rest of what he owes me is in the bank."
"When was this?" Puzzled by this new piece of information, knowing our father had been cold towards both of us. Especially towards Edward, since our mother had died.
"5 weeks ago, he came in. We argued. He left angry, throwing this money on my bed and telling me he would transfer the rest into my bank account." His shoulders slump and for a moment he looked like that gangly teenager I remembered leaving behind when going to college. "Jasper, he never wants to see me again."
The thick sounds of his voice make me grip the steering wheel tighter. Hearing the pain on the phone was one thing, seeing my brother so distraught sitting next to me, is another. It feels like my heart is breaking, together with his.
Not knowing what to say, I continue to drive. Focussing on the road ahead, instead of turning around and drive back to my old home... or perhaps better said my father's house. Next to me Edward is silent also for a while.
When we get closer to Forks, it starts to rain. As if for some reason our return is greeted with a frown instead of warm welcome.
"Please promise me, whatever happens Jasper. You will always stay my brother?"
I take my eyes from the road for a moment and look into the green pools, they are red rimmed, showing he has been silently crying while I concentrated on driving home. Behind the obvious proof of his pain, his eyes shine dark with desperation for confirmation. Knowing that, no matter how weird the conversation has been between us this evening. This is important, Edward is serious.
"Yes Edward." Seeing the relief in his face, I smile and quickly return my eyes to the road again. "No matter what happens, I will always be your brother. Forever and always."
All he does is sigh in response and becomes very silent as my car swiftly eats away the last miles of asphalt, growling with satisfaction as for the second time today I break the speed limits. From the corner of my eyes, I watch Edward.
At first he just watches the road, a relaxed smile on his face. But after 15 more minutes, I can see him lean back and close his eyes. Quickly falling into what seemed a deep sleep, for the first time in many days.
Just before he does, one word slips from his words. Filling me with a swirl of emotions that I can barely control. Rolling to his side, facing me he repeats it again. This time I reach out and place a hand over his, offering him my hand as I too say the word out loud.
"Brother"
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