Jasper wandered down the empty street, glancing at all the shops surrounding him. Alice was back at the apartment, working on something that he wasn't supposed to see.
Jasper had been doing nothing before, stuck in their bedroom, so finally he had just left to go hunting. He had gone the other day, though, so eventually he had just decided to wander through town.
A new, boutique, as Alice would call it, had opened up the day before just down the street, and Alice had been telling him about wanting to go in there.
Jasper quickened his pace until he was standing in front of the store where he stopped and stared at the display in the window.
One mannequin was dressed in a 'poodle skirt' and a plain white shirt, and a sign proclaimed it, 'The style of the fifties!'
That wasn't what caught his attention, though. Hanging on another mannequin that was off to the side and actually dressed for the weather, was a long black scarf that was purposely frayed on the ends that simply screamed, 'Alice!' to him.
Jasper stared at it long and hard and then glanced behind the two bodies. Only one person was currently in there. Surely he could handle that, right?
But Alice wasn't with him, and what if he messed up? Alice would be devastated...
What if he could do it, though? He hadn't had much interaction with humans alone, and he knew that Alice really would like the scarf. Her was getting ratty, and she had been talking of getting a new one for weeks.
And it's only one human, Jasper reasoned with himself.
Jasper bit his lip, but took in one deep breath before reaching out and grasping the handle.
He pulled the door open slowly, and bells chimed as he walked in, alerting the woman there that he had come in. The girl looked up at him from whatever it was that she had been doing.
"Hello!" she called brightly. "Can I help you?" she asked, and Jasper hesitated briefly before he nodded.
"How much for the scarf in the display?" he asked her, pointing to the two mannequins.
The girl smiled and went to get the scarf for him. "I think it's about seven dollars," she told him, grabbing the scarf off the doll and bringing it back to him. Glancing at the price tag, she looked up at him. "Sorry, it's six-fifty."
Jasper paused. He wasn't listening anymore as the door opened, a gust of wind blowing in from outside. The sales clerk's scent hit Jasper full in the face as her ponytail whipped around slightly. The girl laughed lightly, but Jasper wasn't paying attention to that. He could suddenly sense everything around him in that moment.
The bells as someone entered the store, the wisp of hair that danced on the sales girl's neck, her heartbeat as it pounded away, and the delicious scent of her blood. It pounded in his ears, and Jasper saw spots of red in his vision. He had never smelled anything so tempting...
Jasper finally observed what the girl looked like. She was a young thing, not older than seventeen, which would make it all the better for him.
Scenarios ran through his head. He could lean down, as she was so much shorter than he, as if he was going to kiss her. She would incline her head, naturally, and he could grab her and bite...
The other woman that had just entered would be terrified, but he would kill her quickly and her emotions would cease. The girl in front of him wouldn't have time to be afraid. And her blood would taste so could after abstaining for so long...no.
Jasper grappled at her emotions, so bright. She was...happy, and full of life.
Like Alice.
That though froze Jasper in his tracks. He stood there, motionless before abruptly he stopped breathing.
The second passed, and everybody went on, unaware of the struggle Jasper was facing.
"I'll be with you in a minute!" the girl called to the other customer before turning back to Jasper. "It's made with real cashmere," she continued, oblivious to how close she had just come to her death. "So would you like it?"
Jasper nodded, not trusting himself to breathe around her, though her scent still burned in his lungs. The girl smiled and continued talking. "It'll be seven-ten, with tax. Whoever you're buying this for, she'll love it."
She led him over to the cash register, and Jasper pulled the money out of his wallet automatically.
"Thank you," she told him as she handed him the bag with the scarf in it. Jasper nodded in reply and took the bag carefully from her without touching her hand before hurrying to the door to get out of there as quickly as possible.
As his hand touched the doorknob, Jasper hesitated for a split second before he pulled the door open. Wind slapped against his face, and Jasper took a deep breath.
"I'm sorry," he finally said quietly before he walked out of the store and let the door close behind him.
Jasper walked down the street quickly until he was away from the store before finally he stopped and slumped against the wall, closing his eyes. He took in deep gulps of air, and thought about how close he had just come to killing again.
He didn't want to be a monster. And how close had he come today?
He had made it, though. It had been hard, being alone with that girl so near, but he had done it. She had smelled, amazing though. No human's scent had ever been so overpowering. Maybe it was because he hadn't tasted human blood in so long, but regardless...
He hoped that he never had to go through that again.
He had been scared. Jasper would never tell anyone that, but he had been. Alice would have been so disappointed, though she would never tell him that, and he would have ruined everything that they had there.
Sighing, Jasper stood up finally and glanced back down the way he had come before he started walking again. He still had something he needed to do before he could head back to the apartment.
There was a flower shop just down the street, and he was hoping that they would have the flowers that he was looking for.
He walked quickly, smiling slightly as the wind whipped around him, crisp and clean. He passed the grocery store with a slight grimace—they would have to go within the week if they wanted to keep up human pretenses.
Jasper finally stopped in front of the flower shop and glanced inside at the wide range of blossoming plants. Taking a deep breath breath, he pulled open the door and walked in, hoping for an easier time than before.
The scent of various flowers overwhelmed him, and it almost masked the cashier's scent completely.
There seemed to be a hundred different flowers in the room. Roses, daisies, tulips, chrysanthemums, poppies, and...
Bluebells.
Jasper smiled and gathered a dozen in his arms and took them up to the counter where an old man was standing.
"Good choice," he noted, and Jasper nodded slightly. The man gave Jasper the price and he paid it quickly, hoping to head back home soon. "Ribbon?" he suddenly heard the man ask. Jasper glanced at him fleetingly to see the man holding up a pale pink ribbon in one hand, the flowers, wrapped in cellophane, in the other.
Jasper nodded. "Sure."
"Would you like them in a box?" Jasper paused then shook his head, so the man smiled and handed the flowers to him. "Your girl's gonna like those," he told Jasper as he prepared to leave.
Jasper smiled slightly and nodded. "Thank you," he said before finally turning and leaving the flower shop.
Back out on the street, Jasper strode purposefully back to the apartment. Alice would just kick him out again if he was too early, but she was probably done with whatever she was working on by now.
He was sure that Alice already knew about her gifts, but he was still looking forward to giving them to her.
Besides the flowers and scarf, though, Jasper was planning on taking Alice dancing again. He knew how much she loved to go dancing, and he had to admit that he loved it too.
It was almost night as Jasper got to their apartment building and quickly climbed the stairs. The sun would be down in a few minutes, not that they would make much difference with the clouds covering both the sun and moon.
Jasper got to the apartment and quietly entered, knowing Alice would know he was back anyway.
He walked into the living room to find Alice standing there in anticipation, clutching something to her chest that he couldn't see. It was a canvas, that much he knew, but of what?
Jasper held the bag and flowers out to her, and Alice beamed at him. Setting the canvas down (so he still couldn't see it) Alice took them from him and opened the bag, squealing as she saw the scarf.
"It's so soft!" she exclaimed, wrapping it around her neck in excitement despite the fact that she didn't need it. She smiled down at the flowers too, burying her face in the petals. "I'm going to put them in water," she finally told Jasper, looking up at him and moving toward the kitchen. "Don't peek!"
Jasper glanced sideways at the picture, but stayed dutifully where he was.
Alice came back moments later, carrying a vase and placing the flowers in it simultaneously.
"Okay," she finally told him, placing the vase on the coffee table, "You can look at it now." She turned the painting around, and Jasper stared at it in shock.
"That...you painted that? Me?" he asked in shock, staring at the painting.
It was him. Staring off into space at something they couldn't see, a frown tugging at his lips.
Alice stood in the background, watching this painting Jasper with sadness on her face.
"This is amazing, Alice," he breathed, "It looks like a professional did it, it really does. I love it."
Alice smiled and wrapped her arms around him, looking up at him. "I'm glad. Happy anniversary, Jasper."
Jasper smiled softly and wrapped his arms around her in an embrace. "Happy anniversary, Alice."
****
"So I was thinking," Alice began as she spun around to walk backwards so she could face Jasper, "if we just buy food in smaller quantities and come just a little more frequently, then we should save money. We can just say that we go out to eat more."
Jasper rolled his eyes. "Part of me thinks you just like going grocery shopping."
"Well it's kind of fun," Alice defended, "even if it smells like dirt. Very unappetizing dirt. Honestly, I don't get what's so appealing about that food."
"I don't really think that humans find our diet all too appetizing, either," Jasper pointed out.
Alice laughed and spun back around to walk forward, her dress twirling around as she clasped her hands behind her back and smiled. The grocery store was just ahead, and Alice started skipping slightly.
"Do you know what we need?" Alice asked Jasper as they walked inside the store.
Jasper shrugged. He didn't really pay attention to what humans ate.
Normally he was the one doing the eating...Jasper shook his head of the thought and continued to follow Alice through the aisles.
Alice herself was swinging a basket back and forth carefully, a loaf of bread already in it.
She stopped halfway down the aisle to pick up a box of crackers. Holding it up for Jasper to see, she asked, "Would you like to get them?"
Jasper shrugged as he neared where she was standing. "Sure," he agreed, "it's not like we'll be eating them."
Alice nodded when she suddenly froze, dropping the box to the ground where it bounced against the floor before coming to lie at her feet.
"Rosalie," Carlisle sighed.
"No," the blonde girl refused. "I'm not moving. Carlisle, it's not a big deal. So this kid's blood is a little more tempting for me than usual, I'm not going to do anything."
"Rosalie, stop being so self-centered and start thinking about your family for once. This about more than just you! What happens if you bite this kid on accident one day at school? The Quileutes will be on us faster than we can leave, and they'll track us," Edward told her furoiusly.
Rosalie glowered at Edward, and he glared right back. "You know what, Edward—"
"Enough," Carlisle interrupted sternly, glancing between his two children. "Rosalie, I'm sorry, but Edward's right. We shouldn't take the risk."
Rosalie glared at her family and stomped up the stairs.
Alice looked up sharply to meet Jasper's gaze in excitement. "Jasper I saw them! I saw the Cullens, I know where they are!"
People glanced over at them strangely, and Jasper grabbed Alice's hands in his own to calm her down with his gift.
"That's wonderful Alice, really," he murmured soothingly, "but we need to finish here at the grocery store first."
"Jasper don't you get what this means? We'll be leaving here soon, anyway, they're moving!"
Jasper sighed. "Did you see where they were moving?"
"Well, no," Alice admitted grudgingly.
"Then we should finish up here, first," Jasper interrupted.
Alice sighed and frowned, but she nodded anyway. "Fine, but can we hurry, please?"
Jasper laughed quietly. "As quickly as we can, Alice. Well, as fast as humanly possible." Despite being antsy to leave, Alice smiled up at him.
"Thanks," she told him sincerely, "Now let's get shopping!"
****
"Okay, Alice," Jasper finally said once they left the grocery store and made their way back to the apartment. "do you know when this is all going to happen?"
Alice hesitated. "Not exactly. But it's going to be soon, within the next few days."
Jasper stopped her and turned Alice so she was facing him, staring up into his eyes. "Fine. Can you search for their location?" Alice nodded. Jasper sighed but continued speaking. "Alright. Go ahead and try to find them."
Alice glanced nervously at Jasper but nodded and closed her eyes, sifting through the various futures she could see happening. Jasper watched Alice as she flitted from vision to vision, her face scrunched up in concentration.
She suddenly stopped, and her lips moved quickly, mouthing something in the vision. It ended, and Alice turned to look at Jasper with a determined shine in her eyes. "I know where they are," she told him.
Jasper nodded. "Come on, we'll head home, if you want to leave soon. How long do you think it will take us to get there?"
Alice shrugged. "Depends on how fast we drive."
They headed home quickly, Alice immediately anxious to get on the road.
"Alice calm down," Jasper told her as they got into the apartment, taking the groceries to the kitchen and then coming back out to the living room where she was standing. "We have to pack and get ready, and figure out where they're house will be. I get that you know the city, but do you have the house yet?" Alice shook her head. "Alright. You just...keep searching. I'll start getting our things ready."
Alice nodded breathlessly. "Thank you Jasper," she muttered to him before continuing on to herself. "I found them," she whispered in amazement.
****
Alice smiled as she loaded the last box they were taking with them into the car before turning to look at Jasper expectantly.
The Cullens had moved just the other day, and they were finally setting off to meet them. It was still early morning, and they had said goodbye to their friends the day before, knowing that they would probably never see them again.
"Are you ready?" she asked as he stared up at their apartment building.
This was his chance. He could tell her here and now that he didn't want to go, that this wasn't for him, and Alice would stay here with him. It would crush her, but she would unload the car and take it back up to their apartment with him, if that was what he really wanted.
Jasper sighed. "Yeah."
Alice smiled softly and moved to stand next to him, taking his hand in her own. "Thank you," she murmured to him softly.
Jasper was silent for a long moment before finally he turned to look at her. "Let's go find those Cullens of yours."
Alice beamed, and they turned away from their old building together.
She had to admit, she would miss this place, and all the friends she had made, but this part of their lives was over, and it was time to move on. For both of them.
Alice slid into the passenger seat, and Jasper started the car, glancing at Alice. They pulled onto the street and drove away without looking back.
Alice stared out the front window, not really seeing. The Cullens were so close...
They got on the main highway, deserted in the early hour. Alice closed her eyes tightly and leaned back into her seat. Please, oh please, don't let this be a mistake, she thought to herself.
Jasper grasped her hand, and Alice turned to look at him, smiling.
"Portland, Oregon, here we come," she whispered.
****
This chapter felt a little rushed too me, but I couldn't really think of a way to extend it without making it drag on too much...
*Sniffle* I'm going to miss this story. Only one more chapter/epilogue-thingy left. I call it an epilogue, because this story focuses on Alice and Jasper's life, not searching for the Cullens, but really, it's just their first meeting, and a little more.
Reviews really are loved.