This chapter is a little shorter than normal, but it needs love, too! More alice and jasper lovable fluff. Fluff=Happiness
I don't know how to ever thank the Cullens. They took us both in without batting an eyelash, even though we were both wounded and broken. We were both corpses on walking feet, but they saw us revive eachother simply by seeing eachother. I was glad such kind people took us, people that wouldn't mind our starry gazes at eachother and imtimate busses. They took care of our healing bodies while it was up to us, eachother, to rebuild our souls. I felt like mine was already three-fourths alive again.
I remember the night we came home vividly.
Jasper went with Carlisle and the sons to get tidied up, while I went to Rosalie and Esme. I already connected to my motherly figure, but Rosalie rather intimidated me with her beauty. She probably saw my stares, and gave me kind sister-like smiles and rubbed my arm as I was led to the shower in my rag dress. I wouldn't voice my wanting to share the shower with Jasper…no need to use up two bathrooms at once…
"Do you need any help?" Rosalie asked, holding a towel for me. I gazed at the clean fabric, it looked so soft and warm. I just wanted to jump in right now--but not alone. But not with Rosalie, either. I simply shook my head and took the soft towel, already greatful for everything they'd done. Esme's hand touched my back as she let me enter the moist room.
Ah. A shower. I hadn't had one in two months. Two whole months! The realization was shocking. Surely it was not sanitary, but being a vampire, at least I stunk of woods and not body odor. I tucked the towel beneath my arm (the scars already seemed to be cleaning up) and hopped in, hearing Esme's soft laughter behind me.
I took off the dress and laid it down with care, as to not let it unravel in my palms. It was sort of silly to care anymore, I suppose, but I wanted it because it had been for Jasper. I left it on the countertop, practically puddling in filth.
The water was practically boiling from me not stepping in to cool it down, but it felt so perfect. I actually drew a very long and loud sigh as I walked beneath the shower head. The hot droplets rolled down my face and over my eyelids. My hair plastered to my forehead and I simply stood like that for several minutes before using some shampoo, just to get rid of the piney smell. I tried not to let my mind roam too much--it would wander to my recent past. The bad stuff. I piously scrubbed my scalp and let the scalding water hit my head. The skin felt a little raw now.
I decided to think of Jasper. The moment the name popped up, I had the thought to grab my towel, wrap up in it, and bolt down the hallway to see him. I gripped the silver bar inside the shower as restraint, giggling at my enthusiasm. What would my new parents think? I calmed myself and grabbed a bar of clean soap. The smell was very nice and foreign.
I scrubbed almost half of the bar away, and happily used some of Esme's body wash. I was smiling the whole way at the thought of having clean skin again. I would wash away Vincent's touches and the dirt from my cuts. They stung now from the soap and were beginning to pop up in swelling, but I didn't mind. As long as they were cleaner, they felt more normal. I didn't want them to heal with dirt inside of them still, like I had been forced to often do in the past.
Sure, I would dash to the nearest water supply when Vincent halted us, but there was no soap nor time to thoroughly scrub down my wounds, I stopped messing with them and let my soaked arms drop. I listened to the soft hiss of the steam and the pitter patter of water pelting my skin.
After maybe two hours…which I didn't feel too bad about using that much shower time…I emerged. Surely the Cullens had expected that. I listened for the squeals of the pipes still running Jasper's water, but it sounded like he was done with his shower, too. I smiled in my little wrap around towel, and Rosalie arrived from a powder blue room I could only assume as hers. She smiled at me, a little confused that I was standing in the hallway naked when Esme had given me clothes--they were in the bathroom.
I would have blushed, and I slowly crept back in.
I dressed quickly, the need to see Jasper again becoming more urgent. I wouldn't have been surprised if something was on backwards, but I didn't stop to check. I flung down the stairs, by little hand buzzing over the rail. The shirt I'd been given was short sleeved, so my cuts illuminated in the yellow house lights.
I heard low speaking and the hum of the television. I skidded into the peaceful room, candles burning on the mantle. My eyes locked to Jasper's, and he stood up as if some other force made him do so. He was to me in an instant, as if being away from each other for this long was torturous. I pressed my cheek to his soft cotton shirt, smelling Edward's scent ever so lightly in the fibers.
I inhaled loudly and sighed happily, my eyes closing and my arms tightening around the warm body. His limbs snaked around me a little hesitantly. The eye not pressed to his chest opened to the Cullens, watching with shy smiles. I pulled my face away, letting the clean scent of Jasper linger in my nose. I giggled.
With our hands linked, we sat down on the loveseat. Everything was so plush and warm. I snuggled against Jasper's body, curling up my hands. His softly enclosed mine, and my insides swelled and my smile grew. Jasper chuckled into my ear, tickling it. i rubbed the insides of his palms with my small white thumbs.
I noticed all the Cullens were wearing flannel pajamas, which struck me a little odd. We didn't sleep.
"To give you a homey feel." Edward whispered from the chair next to me. I was startled for a moment, then recalled his gift and smiled.
That night pieced back my humanity, which had been waning everyday the sun rose with Vincent, Lee and Perry. The thought of Perry slightly stung me. I burrowed closer to the body beside me.
I inhaled my family's scents and the sweet incense of the candles. Jasper's hand moved up and down my ravaged arm--with great care, I was pleased to note. When no one was scrutinizing us, I stole his hand and kissed his knuckles. The white hand met my cheek and stroked it. I noticed that his shirt was long sleeved.
I remembered that he too had scars to hide.
Yayyy for Cullen lurv. I so want to just sleep over one nite--i would die of amazement haha. Gimme thoughts!
Song Choice: Somewhere over the Raindow-What a Wonderful World by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
