Yay for Epilogues! I hope you think it's great. I just want to remind you guys that this is the 2nd chapter I've posted today, so if it's been a week or so since you've read this, you'll want to go back one page.
"I freaking love Christmas, for real!" Emmett boomed as he plodded down the stairs. It was Christmas Eve, and we were going to exchange presents. I heard the front door open, and Bella and Alice walked in smiling. Snow was glistening in their hair. Bella bounded up to me, practically pulling at my arm off.
"Come on, Jasper! You've got to see!" She was definitely excited about something, and I shot a wave a curiosity to her as she yanked me through the door. She eagerly pointed to the sky, turned to me expectantly, and did a little happy dance. "The Northern Lights! Can you believe it? I've always wanted to see it!" She was dancing in a circle around me, unable to keep in one place.
"You've been spending too much time with Alice," I said in response to her unwavering energy. She stopped long enough to punch me in the arm, and then pulled me back in the house.
"Shut up, or I won't give you your present." I laughed out loud at her idle threat. If Bella loved anything, it was giving presents. We'd only been in Alaska for a month, and this was the first time the aurora borealis presented itself. We moved not long after Bella and I were married, but 17 years had past and it had been time to move again. Esme thought it would be nice to be near the Denali's again.
By the time Bella had pulled me into the house, the rest of the family had made it downstairs to the living room. Esme was kneeled by the tree already starting to hand out presents. "Here you go, Emmett dear, I know you like to go first," she said, handing him a small pile of gifts. She knew him so well. He immediately tore through what he received, making sure to throw paper all over the room in the process.
"Dude, Bella, yes!" he exclaimed once he got to Bella's gift. I saw him waving some kind of video game that looked rather bloody around before bounding up and grabbing her for an impromptu hug.
Rosalie picked through her presents, murmuring thanks to each person in turn.
Alice's presents weren't wrapped, because she already knew what she was getting. Instead, she immediately started putting on the red sweater Rosalie got her while swirling around the room and blowing kisses in everyone's direction.
Then it was my turn. Alice had given me a key. The message tied to it merely said it's time. Which meant absolutely nothing to me, so I turned towards her, curious.
"There's a little house just down the street. Or, I guess, down the dirt path, however you want to explain it. It's time for some alone time with Bella, in your own house. And this way, you'll be nearby!" She squealed, and Bella grinned at her.
"Thank you Alice, I'm sure it's a lovely place." I pecked her on the cheek. She came and sat down next to me. Carlisle and Esme each got me a book. Emmett, being himself, chose to get me some kind of toy wrapped in black satin, with a note that said later. I rolled my eyes. Rosalie gave me a sweater. Edward had gotten me a civil-war era sword, which was pretty awesome to say the least. I grinned at him as he caught my thought. I saved Bella's box for last. I looked at her expecting her typical happy present-giving grin, but she was actually frowning in…nervousness? I quirked my eyebrow as I undid the bow. It was a plain brown box, but I knew immediately what it was.
It was a box from my old room in Forks. The day Bella and I had put Alice and Edward 'away,' so to speak. I pulled open the box to see exactly which one she had given me. Pictures-all of our pictures. Alice, the two of us, as well as the family. Even some with Bella mixed in. "Wow…" I breathed. "When did you go back to get this?"
"Before we left. Alice saw, but thankfully she kept it to herself. I thought that you would be ready to see them again-that you would want them. Because there are all kinds of pictures in there!" she rushed. "And…since the house was going to be demolished, I didn't want this particular box to go down with the ship." I didn't know what to say.
Instead of replying, I stood and walked towards her, planting a firm kiss on the lips. I took her hands and placed them on my face so she could feel how grateful I was for what she had done. I may be a new person, but I still liked reminders of the old me. And human Bella pictures? Wonderful! I released her as she sighed in relief, turning to her own pile of gifts. I resumed my seat next to Alice. She had gotten either clothes or books from everybody in the family, and a CD from Edward. It looked like an original composition, which would make Bella happy. She loved to hear Edward play.
Carlisle went next. He (and Esme) only got one box from us, 'the kids.' We had gotten him and Esme a round trip flight to Ireland. Esme loved the land there, and they had some friends they would like to see. They thanked us in kind. Carlisle went to stand next to Esme, placing his arm around her. I could see Emmett and Rosalie, who had gotten up and moved to the other side of the room, pointing at Carlisle. "Oooh, Carlisle, you guys are under the mistletoe! Kiss!" Emmett said. He and Rosalie laughed as Esme stood on her toes and wrapped her arms around Carlisle, kissing him deeply.
Edward was last. Like me, he got clothes but instead of books he got music. He looked curiously for Bella's package, but couldn't find it. I knew he wouldn't say anything. Suddenly, Bella stood up and walked towards him. She was grinning sheepishly as she handed him a small package. Looking slightly awkward, he took it from her, the question clearly written on his face-but he was smiling. Even I saw the hint of pain that would never go away cross his features. So quick I almost missed it, I saw him look at Alice, who gave him a quick smirk before turning back to the scene before her. He unwrapped it and just looked for a moment.
"A journal?" he asked, questioning her. He already had one.
"Your journal." She replied, and he flipped it open. Sure enough, Edward's elegant script scrawled page after page.
"It's my journal from when I met you." He whispered.
"Yep. When I went to get Jasper's box, I stopped to see if anything of yours, ah, made it. I came across this, and then I remembered that I couldn't destroy it because it was…from when I was human. And from when I first met you all. I thought…well, I guess I thought it would be the one you wanted, if you ever came back for them. Which, obviously you didn't because you didn't know I destroyed your things. You see…" He held up a hand to stop her.
"You don't have to explain. I'm not worried about my old things. But I'm glad you brought this to me. It's…more wonderful than words can express." He leaned towards her and gave her a soft embrace. I saw her smile into his shirt as she hugged him back. And Alice, quiet as a mouse, whispered, "I told you so." Edward nodded.
After presents, we all joined in the clean-up efforts. Esme was chatting quietly to Edward, who rolled his eyes and turned away. He was feeling embarrassed. Embarrassed?
"Oh, I almost forgot!" Esme exclaimed. "The Denali's will be here shortly to celebrate with us. Tanya would like for everyone else to meet the newest member of her family, Elizabeth. She came over from England and found Tanya and her family. She's been living with them." I saw her shoot a grin in Edward's direction. Another wave of embarrassment came off of him.
"Okay, clue us in," Emmett said. "When you say everyone else, who met her first?"
"Oh, yes. Our Edward was the first to make introductions. In fact, he and Elizabeth—" Edward quickly cut her off.
"It was nothing. I ran into her hunting. Before everyone else made it up. It's nothing." Bella's eyes were wide as she took in his modest attitude. His gentlemanly attitude. The one he reserved for women.
"Edward, you said it was nothing twice. That's a double negative. In my book, that makes a positive. You like her!" Bella danced.
"What? No! I mean yes. I mean she's a very nice girl. Stop prancing!" He said, to everyone's general amusement. Bella, instead of stopping, increased the pace of her 'prance,' scooping Alice up who immediately joined in.
"Edward's got a girlfriend, Edward's got a girlfriend!" They chanted, and I could feel his chagrin. I couldn't help but smile.
"She's very musically inclined," Esme added.
"Oooh," the girls swooned. Edward, having had enough, stomped upstairs while the rest of us laughed it off.
"He'll get over it," Alice said.
"Alice?" Esme asked. Alice quirked her eyebrow. "What's the weather look like?" We knew she didn't mean the actual weather.
"Oh, I say the weather looks quite good." She replied, giving everyone a devious smirk.
"Stop it!" Edward shouted from upstairs, but I could feel that he was happy. Cautiously happy, but happy in a way he hadn't been in years.
There was a knock at the door.
I told you I wouldn't leave him hanging! Thank you all for being with me and making this story so successful. I never expected it. I do plan on working on another story besides One Final Taste, which is going to be more of a story-lette. But I'm not sure what kind of story I want to do. So keep me on alert!