A/N: This is dedicated to my adorably cute (and probably blushing) BFF, theladyingrey. More thanks than I can put into words to ahizelm for putting up with me through this whole story. And thanks to miss_becky_louise for making sure Edward sounds British. SM owns everything Twilight. I just play with some of her boys.

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The Setting: Driving from Hobart to Bicheno

The Music: Stick Shifts and Safety Belts, Cake; Let's Groove, Earth, Wind and Fire; I Will Survive, Cake

Translation: pavement = sidewalk

EPOV

J drives a couple of streets and pulls up to the pavement on the right in front of a small cafe with bright awnings. The sun glints off the nearby water and reflects into his face as he turns to smile at me, his golden hair practically glowing. My breath catches in my throat at the absolute beauty before me.

"This place is great! You'll love the owner," he declares, breaking me from my Jasper-induced haze.

He jumps from the car and I shake my head slightly before rounding the front to join him.

He smiles brilliantly and I swear I can see the sun reflected in his eyes. "Come on. She's really lovely."

I follow him as he pushes the door open and a small tinkling of bells announces our arrival. From a back room, a small, wiry, hunched, ancient woman approaches the counter. Her body may be old, but her clear eyes dart between us, her alert, sharp mind seemingly missing nothing. She blinks twice at me before smiling broadly at J.

"Ahh! My boy, you have returned! It's been too long! Who's your friend here?" She looks at me curiously, giving me the once over.

"I know, MaryAnne, and you have my deepest apologies. This is Edward and I told him you have the best cafe in Tasmania."

"Oh, my dear boy, you flatter me. I do have some fresh muffins I just took out of the oven that I think you'd like. Let me get you a couple and then some coffee for the road, I think?" She looks up at J for clarification but he's already nodding his head.

"Correct as always."

"Actually, madam, I would like tea if you don't mind," I interject, needing something a little less caffeinated.

"Ahh, a Brit! Let me see." She putters behind the counter, stopping in front of the large tea display. "Earl Grey, I think, with milk, yes?"

"Yes, that would be lovely. Thank you." I smile, wondering if all Brits are as obvious in their beverage choices, or if she is just that astute.

"But, of course, my young man," she says warmly, giving me a sly wink. I wonder briefly what the gesture was for, but chalk it up to the antics of an old woman.

She quietly slips into the back and I watch her small frame pull a rack from the oven before sliding another in its place. The cafe is sparsely decorated with a few bistro tables and chairs, a single couch and scattered framed photographs along the walls. I look at a few closely and almost think I recognize MaryAnne in a couple of the old black and whites.

"All of these pictures are her and her family." I start at the smooth voice suddenly at my ear, whispering the secrets of the photographs. "They're all gone now, so she tends to adopt her customers: travelers, business people, neighbors... really everyone. Says her family just keeps growing. I've been coming here every day, except yesterday, for the last four days, but she basically adopted me after the first five minutes. She's amazing, like a little piece of home."

I turn to look into his eyes, seeing a hint of sadness at the edges. I'm just about to jump over the acquaintance border and ask an inappropriate question, I'm sure, but I'm saved by the gentle woman who adopts strangers, including this beautiful boy.

"This bag has your muffins and here's your coffee and tea done proper." She winks at me again and we take the proffered items.

"Alright, thank you, MaryAnne, ma'am. How much do we owe you?"

"I think that comes to five dollars for you two gentleman."

There's no way that the bill is only five dollars and I move to protest, but J is quicker than I am.

"Aww, MaryAnne! You shouldn't treat us so well or you'll go out of business. What do we really owe you?"

"Add a kiss on the cheek and I'll call it a good day's work."

J laughs and leans in to kiss the old woman on the cheek and backs away as I walk over to do the same. As my lips touch the soft, dry skin of her cheek, she pats my face and I look up, her pale blue eyes seeming to look straight through me.

"You take good care of him," she whispers, and for once I'm at a complete loss for words.

Who is she referring to? J? I barely know the bloke.

I look at her in pure confusion and she nods at me. "I see how it is even though you do not. Don't say no when he says yes."

I back away slowly, noticing that J is already back to the car, peering at me over his shoulder.

"Th-Thank you, MaryAnne," I stammer, although I'm not entirely sure what I'm thanking her for.

"Enjoy your tea, Englishman," she calls after me while I hurry out the door. Once outside, I chastise myself for worrying about the old woman and her cryptic words.

J smiles at me as I join him on the pavement.

"Ready?" he asks simply.

"As I'll ever be," I reply, hoping my eagerness isn't showing too plainly on my face.

He chuckles as we climb into the car. He pulls out into the early morning traffic and I help navigate him to the motorway.

"I know we follow the highway for a while, and then we're on a country road for a couple hours after that," J explains as he turns and smiles encouragingly at me. "So, we're stuck together for a little while, how about we get to know each other?"

I return the smile, slightly amazed at how relaxed I feel around him, that I really could tell him anything. Then I remember that sharing everything can lead down a dangerous road, usually one on which I get my heart trod upon.

"Well, let's start simple then. What's your name? And where are ya from?"

"I think I can handle this type of interrogation. Edward Anthony Cullen and Edinburgh, Scotland, at the moment, but my family's from the London area. Just finished exams for medical school and I'm taking a well-earned holiday before my internship back in London." His eyebrows raise at that statement, but I hurriedly turn the question back to him, hoping to learn as much as possible about him. "What about you? What does J stand for?"

"Don't think I'm going to let the 'I'm a doctor' revelation slip by so easily, Edward. But we'll move on for now. Well, J stands for an old-fashioned family name that no one nowadays would be caught dead with...Jasper."

I laugh and his lips turn into a quick frown. "Oh Jasper, I'm not laughing at you. Actually, you really can't get more old-fashioned than Edward."

He chuckles along with me and I revel in the care-free sound. I don't know why he would be embarrassed about the name Jasper - it suits him. There's no way I'm going back to calling him J.

"Okay, you've got a point. I guess I forgive you then," he finally assents and I smile at him although he's staring at the road ahead.

"Where are you from? I've always been terrible with American accents," I continue, trying to change the subject from an obvious sore one for him.

"Originally, I'm from Dallas, Texas, but we moved to Austin when I was young." If I hadn't been watching his face so intently, I would have missed the flash of pain that crosses his face, gone almost as swiftly as it appeared.

He recovers and asks his next question quickly. "And where are you from? You said your family's from around London, but I can't place your accent either and I've been spending a lot of time with Commonwealth kids lately."

"Well, I am English, but my mum's American, a Southern girl herself actually. I think some of her twang rubbed off on us kids, making our accents a little harder to place."

"Kids, huh? You've got brothers and sisters?"

"Just one sister, Alice, and she's a force to reckon with. I swear she's not taller than my knee, but she cannot be stopped once she's on a mission." I remember vividly the trouble she and her 'missions' got us in when we were small, and I have the scars to prove it.

"Yeah, I have a sister like that. Well, she's quite tall... wouldn't do to have a short Whitlock. But man, is she fierce. She could take on a grizzly bear and probably win," he says with a smirk.

We laugh together and continue our easy banter until we exit the motorway. Jasper quiets as the road narrows and the curves become tighter. I watch his knuckles turn white with the grip he has on the steering wheel.

"If you'd like, I could drive for a bit. I am used to these types of roads and driving on the left after all."

I can see him relax slightly, his shoulders shifting from their tense position. "Actually, I might just take you up on that. This isn't as easy as the highway driving."

We come upon a small pastry shop and we stop to stretch our legs and grab a nibble. The cafe has a good selection of meat pies and Jasper's eyes widen at the number of choices.

"Well, I think I'll have to go for the Tazzy beef this time. Best in the country, yeah?" he asks the young woman behind the counter. She blushes and nods and he gives her a crooked smile and a wink. She hurries to warm up his pie, stumbling over her feet, while I take my time perusing my options.

"I think I'll take the cherry tart, if you please. And an Earl Grey tea if you have it." The girl blushes again and hurries to make my order.

"So, you went for fruit over meat, huh? Interesting." He winks at me and I can't help the feeling that he may actually be flirting, but then I remember the same gesture he gave the girl and try to dismiss it. He's just friendly.

Right, Cullen. Keep telling yourself that and maybe you'll start to believe.

We sit at a small table on the patio and our food and beverages arrive shortly. He takes a large bite of his meat pie and moans quietly while closing his eyes and chewing slowly. I'm mesmerized by the angle of his jaw, the muscles bunching, his lips pursing slightly. He swallows and I pause midbite to watch his Adam's apple bob slowly as his tongue flicks out to lick his lips. I fight the sudden urge to lean across and nibble and suck his neck, spending time admiring it with my mouth.

I stifle my own moan with my pie and he opens his eyes quickly.

Get a grip. The odds that he's gay and into you are about a thousand to one, so keep those thoughts, and your hands, to yourself.

"Good, yeah? I can't believe you didn't get one of the meat pies. I will seriously miss these when I'm back in the States." He takes another bite, moaning again.

I nod, not trusting my voice for a moment. God, if he knew what he did to me. "Next time, I promise I'll try one," I barely croak out.

After we finish our pies, Jasper concedes to let me drive the rest of the way to Bicheno.

A few miles down the road, he reaches into the back seat, brushing his chest along my arm and sending chills up my spine.

"What are you looking for?" I ask curiously, attempting to distract myself from his t-shirt clad muscles rubbing against my skin.

"I was just grabbing some tunes if that's okay." He looks at me questioningly and I nod my head. Soon he turns back to the front with an iPod in his hand. "Don't leave home without it! So, what do you like to listen to?"

"Depends on my mood most of the time. I'll listen to almost anything but American pop country. Some of the older stuff is good, and I like folk, but I just don't understand more modern country."

"Well darlin', I won't subject you to some of my tunes then. I've got almost every thing on here but classical."

I try to hide my disappointment with that revelation, but really most people just need the right exposure to the right classical music to appreciate it. I would definitely be willing to do that for him. "Hmm. Well, for driving, I do typically listen to classical. Maybe I'll have to expand your horizons."

"Really? I can always put on country," he says seriously.

I wonder briefly if I've offended him, before I look over and catch him smirking at me with his crooked smile.

"How about some driving music? Something with a good beat?" he suggests.

"I can handle that," I reply, turning my attention back to the road.

I smile as the deep bass groove of Earth, Wind and Fire fills the speakers. We both sing along and the miles fly by as we nod our heads to the beat.

"Yeah, this works, Jasper. Good choice!"

He looks up at me suddenly, his eyes slightly widened. "You called me Jasper."

"Do you mind? You just seem more like a Jasper to me than a J." Outside I'm trying to placate, inside I'm kicking myself for the stupid slip.

He shakes his head slowly staring into my eyes and I swear he can see straight through me. Abruptly, he turns back to the iPod, breaking our contact. "Well, since you approved of my first choice, let's see how you like this."

I laugh when Cake's version of "I Will Survive", and laugh even harder when Jasper starts belting it out, pretending his hand is a microphone. As the lyrics sink in, I can feel my face fall, melancholy rearing its head. They're too close to home and all the things I'm trying to escape, all the things I want to leave behind. I focus back on Jasper singing his heart out and I try to smile at him. When the song ends I whistle as best as I can and he bows in his seat.

"And now for my encore!"

"Oh please no! I'm not sure I could handle another one!" I tease, pretending to block him out with my finger in my ear while I cringe away from him.

He pouts slightly before shaking his head and chuckling. "Fine, have it your way," he starts, shuffling his iPod until Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust" fills the speakers. "We'll have to stick to classics then, or as close as I can get."

The rest of the ride to Bicheno we talk about music. I ask him about his guitar and he tells me about writing songs that no one will ever hear and his weekly open-mic night at the local coffee house.

"Music has always spoken to me or for me, even when words fail," he mumbles and turns to the window, but not before I see that brief flash of pain again. I change the subject quickly and tell him about studying piano for the majority of my life. At first it was forced on me by my mother, but now the only place I ever feel entirely myself is with my fingers on the ivories.

As I continue to talk about the piano, I notice Jasper staring at my hands on the steering wheel, my fingers subconsciously playing my favorite piece. I continue with the motions, wanting to finish the song, but I clear my throat to get his attention.

His eyes dart to mine and he flushes almost imperceptibly.

"I'm sorry," he starts. "I mean, I'd really like to hear you play sometime."

"Well, most of the backpackers don't have pianos, so that most likely won't happen this trip. How about you? Planning to get the guitar out?"

"I might be convinced," he responds lowly and I briefly imagine that voice whispering in my ear, my attraction to him reaching new heights. Luckily, his attention is averted as we enter the town of Bicheno and he straightens in his seat. "Hey! I think we're here. Just need to find the hostel, I mean, backpackers."

We pull into the backpackers and find the owner with his dog on the front porch. He greets us warmly and shows us to our 4-person share suite. One bunkbed is taken so we take the other, throwing our bags onto the beds.

"This is great! Thanks for making the trip with me, Edward. I had a really great time today. I only have about four days before I fly home, so I'm happy I get to explore a little more before I leave."

I want to offer more. I want to take him to see the amazing sights in the area. I want him. "I'm glad I could help. I-"

I'm interrupted as two gorgeous, scantily clad girls bounce into the room and introduce themselves, effectively ending anything I had planned with Jasper. Apparently, Tanya and Bella, as they introduce themselves, are New Zealanders on a short holiday and looking for a good time. After obviously ogling both of us from head to toe, they invite us to come have a beer with them outside and offer to make us dinner tonight. I almost scoff aloud at the blatant suggestions from them, but Jasper wholeheartedly agrees. He turns to me as if expecting me to join them, but there's no way I can be privy to him flirting with these girls.

"I think I'm going to need a quieter night, but thank you for the offer, ladies."

"I need a minute to change and I'll be out to join you girls," Jasper dismisses them. They give each other a pointed look before leaving the room. As soon as they're gone, he turns to me, his voice hopeful and his wide smile back in place. "Are you sure you don't want to hang out with us?"

Yeah, I want to watch these girls fall all over you as you flirt with them. That would just be the opposite of anything I would like to do tonight.

"No, I just need a quiet night, I think. I'm fairly tired still and want to read a little, maybe have something to eat and go to bed early."

His smile fades as I explain and I almost change my mind just to see him happy again, but I just don't feel like torturing myself tonight. He looks at me from the corner of his eye, trying to judge my sincerity.

"Okay, if you're sure."

"I am, but thank you."

"I'll save you some dinner, if you'd like."

"Come let me know when you eat and maybe I'll join you then." I give him a half smile and a nod, figuring dinner should be safer.

His smile returns in full force and he claps me on the shoulder. "Okay, then I'll come get you later."

I watch him walking away from me and only turn when I hear the girls squeal as he joins them outside. I close the door, sighing deeply and resting my forehead against the dark wood. With my eyes firmly shut, I can still see the sun glinting off his golden hair, see his crooked smile directed at me, his eyes flashing with mirth.

Less than 24 hours since I first saw this boy and I've already got it bad.

High-pitched laughter filters in through the open window and I move to close it. Although my thoughts and actions seem to be all directed at or driven by him, I need to force him out of my head.

I flop onto my bed and pull out my old book, desperately trying to lose myself in the pages, lose my focus on Jasper, the boy I cannot want.

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Thank you for reading! Please leave me some love.

Oh and for those that are curious, the places in Tasmania are all real and I visited them last fall. Hope you are enjoying!