Disclaimer: SM owns all.

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

Jasper POV

Blank.

Fuck. That's never good.

Major Cullen and I had made it to the extraction point, where a helicopter picked us up. Those men were our friends. No, not just friends. Those men had become our family. The ride out of Iraq with Colonel Swan was silent. We were all remembering the good times we had managed to share with those good men. Nobody deserved any of this. We had been a force together for the last three years. We were the definition of a family. It was hard, trying to hold back the tears.

Once we landed, General Swan met us at the heli-pad.

"Status report," she demanded.

"No survivors," I responded, my voice showing no emotion.

Without waiting for another response, I grabbed Cullen's elbow and dragged him off to the showers.

It was quiet, when we got into the showers. We were both lost in our own thoughts, no doubt thinking about what had happened overseas. After we showered, we hit the gym. I was spotting Cullen on the weights when, suddenly, he pushed the bar back up to its cradle and broke down. I walked around to stand in front of him and helped him to stand up, then pulled him into a hug, and we just stood there. Grasping onto each other, crying. It's not everyday that military men show their emotions, but we're not cold-hearted bastards. We have feelings. We're just trained well enough to know when to hide them, and when it's okay to let it all go.

The General walked in, followed closely by the Lieutenant Colonel. Upon seeing us embracing, they sighed, and then joined in on the hug. For Edward, this was his first time losing someone in battle. I have lost a few family members, but it doesn't make it any less painful. Just teaches you how to be strong. But losing this many men, that was hard.

I pulled back from Edward, and held his face in between my hands. What I was about to ask him is the hardest thing you can do, but it helped me.

"Do you want to notify the families with me?"

He just stared at me wide-eyed.

"When I lost my first best friend in battle, I was a mess. The only thing that pulled me out was Bella taking me to tell his wife and children that he wasn't coming home. I cried with them, and we shared memories, and with the knowledge of him being happy, and that he loved his family above everything, that's what kept me going." I whispered.

Edward nodded, then said, "Just let me get cleaned up." I nodded and watched as he left to go shower once again.

I turned to Emmett and Bella, "You were apart of this team too, do you want to come?"

They shook their heads simultaneously.

"I'm taking my brother home to his wife and child, and then out to get drunk. We're going to McFadden's at 10." I nodded.

"We'll see you then."

While I was getting my Army Blue on, I was remembering the team.

Edward was the baby of the team. He came to us three years ago, right from Military school to basic training, to the Corps for three months. To my surprise, Edward wasn't cocky like most of the men that came in. He was cautious and precise. I kept him close to me because of his lack of experience. I now understood why they let him come to special ops with so little experience. It's like he was made for the team.

Thomas was the oldest of us, and above my rank. He didn't want to lead a troop, so he nominated me, who was just below him. I gladly took the position. Most of the men were older. Early 30's to late 40's. I'm 26 now and running the troop. Have been for three years, and I don't think I could be any happier.

A soft knock brought me out of my thoughts, and Edward stepped into my room.

"Ready?" he barely spoke, his voice so low that I'm not sure he could even hear himself.

I nodded and placed my arms around his shoulder.

Needless to say, we were both a mess by the time we were done. We just sat in front of Thomas's wife's home, and cried in the car.

About twenty minutes later, we headed off back to my place. "Let's get some food, then head off to the bar to meet Emmett and Bella."

Once at the apartment, I grabbed some frozen chicken and started to thaw it in the microwave. Grabbing some fresh veggies from the fridge I started to make a salad to go with it. Edward just sat on a stool in front of the kitchen island and watched. I sighed and looked at him. His eyes were full of tears that he wouldn't let go, and the emotions running through his large bright green eyes were startling. Setting down the knife and placing the now seasoned chicken into the oven, I took his hand and pulled him into the living room. I've had my eye on this boy for sometime now. Edward was 24, and never had time to figure out his sexual orientation. Hell, he had been so focused at getting through Military school, he didn't have the time to do so, let alone date around or fix his own dinners.

We sat on the couch and I still held onto his hand. The guys in the troop had gotten used to me touching them, so it was nothing new.

"Tell me," I murmured.

He just looked up at me and the tears started to fall. Now, normally it was rare that I held anyone. Everyone knew this, but only Emmett knew of my feelings toward Edward, and always passed it off as me feeling like Edward was my little brother or whatever to the guys. I pulled Edward into my arms, making shushing noises to get him to calm down. Rocking him back and forth, I stroked his cheek, and hummed a random song to him.

Eventually, he calmed down again and looked up from my chest. I had lain backwards to my back and pulled him on top of me at some point.

"Thomas was like the father I never had," he began. This I knew. Thomas was always praising Edward whenever he did something well. It made Thomas proud, for he would always say, "That's my boy."

"I'm struggling with something, but Thomas was always there to help me through it. The last time we talked, we argued about it. I told him he wasn't my father, and at that moment he was worse than my actual father." We all knew about Edward's father. Him getting wasted after a particularly hard fight with him.

"Edward, you know you can always come to me," I whispered.

He buried his face into my chest, and mumbled, "I can't talk to you about this. And you only."

I sighed. "If I tell you a very big secret about me, will you tell me yours?"

He paused for a while; I could almost see the steam coming from his ears as he continued to think.

About five minutes later, he nodded. He knew that I wasn't big on keeping secrets. I didn't share unless asked, but I usually didn't keep secrets.

"Okay, don't take this the wrong way, but . . . I'm gay." I said. I used a level voice, my truth-telling voice.

Edward's head snapped up and the look on his face was priceless. It was a mixture of shock, understanding, and . . . hope?

"Maybe you can help me then," he said, sitting up.

I pulled myself up and looked at him.

"Edward?" I asked.

"I -- I . . . I think . . . I might . . . be gay . . . too," he whispered in a stutter. I looked at him and smiled.

"There's nothing wrong with that," I told him.

He nodded, "I know. I'm just scared of . . . of what . . . my father will say. I'm worried . . . about the guys. I'm not even a hundred percent sure, and I've never been with anyone," he sighed.

I smiled at him in reassurance. "Emmett and Bella know I'm gay. The guys would support you, I know it, and if your father has problem with it Edward, then that's his problem. He doesn't understand what he's missing, what an amazing son he has, what a kind boy that shares his name." Edward looked at me with tears in his eyes again.

"And . . . I'm willing to help you with the last problem, as long as nothing weird happens after."

Edward shook his head, "I like you too much, Jasper," he admitted.

This stunned me. I gaped openly at him for a minute.

"You like me more . . . more than just . . . a friend?" I stuttered.

He simply nodded. I am not exactly sure what had come over me, but I needed to know what those lips of his tasted like, so I went for it and crushed my lips into his. Edward responded clumsily, which was to be expected, but quickly found the rhythm and sooner than I thought possible, the kiss was fast becoming a sloppy make-out session, minus the gropefest that usually ensues.

I pulled away reluctantly, and smiled at him. "I've liked you for such a long time, Edward. I just didn't know you would even consider being with me." I admitted in a whisper.

He nodded. Then, "I'd like to be," and smiled.

Just then, the oven chose that moment to go off, letting me know that the chicken was finished cooking. I stood up and extended my hand toward Edward, offering to help him up. Without any hesitation, and a slight twitching of his lips, he slipped his hand into mine and laced our fingers together, and stood up.

"Let's talk while we eat."

And before walking toward the kitchen together, hand-in-hand, I couldn't resist kissing his lips one more time.

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

Hi Everyone!

Ok once again I've gotta thank my beta Princess HarleyHeaven. There will never be enough words or gestures to how much I heart her! You're amazing skills have helped my chapters and stories to be the best they can be.

So here's the deal everyone. I'd never hold back chapters for a certain amount of reviews, but because 61 of you read the first chapter within the first few hours of it being posted and I still had NO reviews by 9 hrs in, I have a deal with you. For every 50 reviews I get, I'll post 2 Chapters at one. Yes you read right. Every 50 2 chapters. I don't think that's too many cuz at the rate this is going, so times it can seem to fast but if you step back and look at the plan, and see all the POV's and events to come this is going to be a long story.

The one-shot candids of the boy's lives from the Awakening and the College escapade will be post as well. AN3 has a list of them so far. I'll update my list with any suggestions I get, or ones I think about. So if there's one that isn't in order or not listed, then you can get a bonus. There's a lot there, and with this story, I'm not going to ask my beautiful beta to work her magic on these one shots. I write it once and then edit. I'm not a go back and adder. My chapters are raw and the first draft kind of thing for all my stories. So my one shot may be lacking in some areas, and over zealous in others. Sorry guys!

It's just how I go. I second guess too much to do more than I draft.

Well I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and the one shots if you came here for that story!

XOXO

Los of love guys.
PLEASE review, it helps me stay inspired and let's me know my work interests even just a few people, and that I don't suck the rock wall like I think I do.

Kai