Disclaimer: I sadly own nothing, these lovely characters all belong to Stephenie Meyer!

Hey Everyone,

I wanted to start out by saying sorry for taking so long, I had a really hard time writing this chapter and if you want to know more I'll explain at the bottom (wouldn't want to start out with spoilers). Sorry about my spelling mistakes (I'm not a native speaker so there's bound to be a few) and I hope you like it!

Love in the Firehouse Chapter 4

I was getting pretty excited as the now infamous auction was mere days away and I wasn't the only one. Even though the guys would never admit it they were looking forward to it - the fact that I'd found them in the "in house" gym down at the station the other day is an indicator and the fact that they were actually working out an even greater one. I don't know why they make such a big deal out of it – I mean yes, it's a meat-market, but we're not holding a best looking competition, as I told them several times they don't have to offer going on a date, they could offer IT lessons or help with cleaning out garages or something.
It is pure vanity is what this is, and I told them that so they kicked me out! Luckily I found refugee in Billy's office.

As I approach the building I really hope they've forgotten my vanity comment as I really need to get my notes in order (I am presenting them after all and I want to do it right) and I think a little pep talk is in order. If I have to I'll just pout and go: well there really is no harm in wanting to look good for the ladies…Oh well if it comes down to it I'll sneak my way in.
The door is locked, which is weird – they never lock the door, I mean, they're supposed to, but none of them ever remember to! Much to the advantage of suspicious characters like myself. I press the buzzer (don't ask me why this place has a buzzer… maybe it used to be an apartment building… more likely Billy let Jake install it when he had his tech phase)
"Guys, let me in… come on, it's Alice" no reply, "I said I was sorry… come on! Do the right thing here fellas… help a lady out!" I beg and a picture of Emmett trying to suppress his laughter pops into my head. Stupid boys. I guess they really do hold grudges and here I was thinking that was a girl thing.
I'm not wearing the appropriate footwear to accomplish stealthy behaviour right now and I look at my boots (My lovely knee high leather boots with the heel in the perfect height – not so high I can't walk without waddling like a duck and not so low that I resemble a 12 year old) and I contemplate taking them off before going round the back and prying a window open. Dear God, I sound like a criminal… Dad would be so disappointed if he knew, Mom on the other hand might be a bit proud.
I sigh as I brace myself and I take a step burring my right boot in the muddy soil "I'm sorry baby, Mommy will wash you when we get home" I tell my now extremely muddy boot. I pull myself together and manage to get around the building and find the window I've pried open before (my stupid brother, and stupid Emmett said I couldn't do it… and as I always say: if it sounds like a dare it is a dare). Just when I nudge the window someone at my left clears his throat. Well, this is embarrassing. Please, let it be Billy. Please, let it be Billy. Dear God, not Emmett… not Emmett.
As I pray internally a dark voice says "Excuse me Ma'am" making my knees buckle and my heart race and not from fear, no this is definitely something else. Fear is never accompanied my tingles shooting up and down my spine and a warmth spreading throughout my body. I'd never truly understood all the romance novels when they described how the heroines felt their knees give out, or butterflies erupting in their stomachs at the sound of the hero's voice until this moment. I must have been lost in incoherent thought for a while until I realised I'd been called Ma'am. No one would ever call me that, which means the person to my left watching was most certainly looks like braking and entering is a stranger. Not good, Alice Cullen, this is not good. I slowly turn my head afraid to turn my entire body as my knees still feel a little weird and who knows maybe this stranger thinks I'm a total psycho and is contemplating body-slamming to the ground! (I've clearly spent to much time with Emmett when I actually think about body-slamming).
In the shade of the building the most gorgeous man I've ever seen is standing looking very suspiciously in my direction. My heart sinks, I've never felt this bad in my life… embarrassed beyond belief I feel myself redden under the handsome man's stare. Did he have to be this good looking? Any other guy I would have talked my way out of this by now, but him with his clear blue eyes, chiselled features, lips that look soft enough to… Alice get a hold of yourself. How can he stun me to silence? I usually never shut up… speak Alice, speak! He seems to notice my distress and he runs a hand through his hair making my notice the dirty blond mess of curls for the first time making me take a shallow breath. "Care to explain what you're doing little lady?" I try to explain, but no words come out. That has never happened before and in the back of my mind I expect Edward to be standing behind me capturing the first moment ever Alice Cullen is speechless on video. But no, it's just me and the handsome stranger. "I… I couldn't get in at the front" I slap myself on the forehead as that was clearly not the right thing to say if I don't want to come off stalkerish. My handsome stranger raises his eyebrows "God, I'm not explaining this well… I'm pretty sure they locked me out on purpose" his eyebrows go further up, "To punish me… I said something the other day and… well they, they threw me out and I – I just wanted to apologies again and…" I look helplessly at the man who now clearly thinks I'm mental.
"Why don't you tell me who you are?" he speaks slowly like a cop telling a criminal to put the gun down. I bite my lip "I'm Alice" I sound uncertain, "Cullen… Edward's sister" I nod to the house. Edward's name clearly hit home as he doesn't look half as spooked as he did seconds ago. He must be the new guy.
"Edward's sister… but I thought?" he looks me over still dubious as to my sincerity (and mental heath I'm sure) "I thought…" and then it dawns on me, "You thought I was younger, right?" he sheepishly smiles and nods "They make me sound like a seven year old" I whine, "It's really frustrating" I walk closer to him shuffling through my purse "Here's my student ID" I smile as I hand it to him, "just to make it clear that I'm not some psycho nut job out to get the firemen" I mentally pat my back for making a semi-coherent statement in his presence. "You're 20" he sounds surprised, but it's not as if I haven't experienced that before "Yup, I know, I'm vertically challenged, I still get the kids menu when I go out to eat sometimes" I smile and kick myself for the verbal-diarrhoea. It was going so well and then the word vomit decided to show its ugly face!
"Well, Miss Alice let me lock you in" he hooks his arm under mine and help me navigate in the mud. "Oh, and they didn't lock you out" he smiles and up close I notice his dimples. Sigh. "They went down to help Mrs. Till" I nod understanding perfectly "So Mr. Tubbles decided to try and climb the apple tree once again did he?" I laugh "Mr. Tubbles?" he stops in front of the building clearly without a clue as to what I'm talking about "Her cat…"
"Cat?" I nod in confirmation, "Then why did they all go? And why the need to take the truck?" I giggle "New guy" I pat his back trying to hold back the glee bubbling inside me screaming 'You touched him! You touched him! You really really touched him!' "Learn much you need" I hope he gets this is my version of Yoda… well he doesn't looked freaked, more like intrigued. "If you never mention how we met to anyone I'll tell ya'" I smiled widely as he agrees "Mrs Till always and I mean always has cookies ready for the boys… which is good 'cause Mr. Tubbles get into a lot of trouble and as for taking the truck it's just for show… you know the kids love that stuff" he nods and I know he gets it at least the last part, because as Mom says: inside every fire fighter there is a little boy who thinks the fire truck is the single coolest thing on the planet.
"But why leave the new guy?" I give him a look "Is this their way of hazing you? Leaving you here to go eat cookies without you knowing? God, they suck at hazing!" he laughs along with me, but adds with a wink "I don't think so… I think the hazing part is leaving me here to deal with you" my jaw drops "You did not just say that!" I pretend to be outraged, but I don't think I could be mad at him "You just met me!" he puts his hands up in front of himself (The-I-give-up position as Emmett would say)
"That might be true… but since I just realised Edward's sister is 20 and not 7" I growl, but he continues as if I didn't say a thing "I've also just realised that Ed's sister and the chick who's in charge of the auction Saturday is the same person… and believe me, I've been warned plenty" I don't know how to respond and decide to narrow my eyes at my handsome stranger and I realise he hasn't told me his name yet.
"Mmm hmm, whatever you say, whatever you say… you realise you haven't told me your name yet? What's up with that? Trying to come of all mysterious are we?" he stretches out his arm and as his big, warm hand envelope mine tingles shoot up and down my spine for the second time today before his dark honeyed voice tells me "I'm Jasper, Jasper Whitlock".

I hope you liked it! And again sorry for taking so long I was just having such a hard time introducing Jasper… I really wanted to get it right and none of my ideas seemed to work until I put Alice in a suspicious situation. Will she ever forgive me for humiliating her? I sure hope so