A/N: Thank you for reading!
Disclaimer: I own Annabelle and the situation; Meyer owns the characters.
I woke up the next morning to my cell phone dancing across the nightstand as it vibrated. Digging the heels of my palms into my eyes I groaned, rolling over to blindly pat down the surface and grab it. I flipped it open and grumbled a groggy, "hello?"
"Hey," Vera. "Oh, crap, did I wake you? Sorry! I just thought you'd need a ride to the airport and I wanted to say goodbye. Plus, I don't think you'd want to take a car there," she rambled and I sat up slowly, blinking my eyes back into focus. All the memories of last night flooded back to me and I glanced down at my mascara stained pillow.
"No, it's fine, thanks for waking me, I have to be out of here in an hour anyway," I assured her, stumbling out of bed and going into the small kitchen to start making coffee. "Uh—I don't want you to have to drive me, I can call to get a car," I replied, but she wouldn't have it.
"No! Your flight isn't until six tonight anyway, so why don't we hang out a little today?" I could hear the pout in her voice and right on cue, I thought of him. "Unless you're hanging out with Jasper today," she said as I pictured his mocking pout, his dimpled infectious crooked smile.
"Nope," I answered evenly, internally grateful that my voice hadn't cracked. I took out a coffee mug and shut the cabinet a bit too harshly, slamming the door shut.
"Oh," was all Vera said before she, like the friend I knew she was, decided to quickly change subjects. "So you want to hang out? We'll just go out to lunch and I'll drop you at the airport and say goodbye," she offered hopefully. I glanced over my shoulder to see my bag packed and outfit picked out for the day—when was I ever that organized?
"Sure," I agreed reluctantly. She agreed to pick me up in an hour and as I hung up, I wandered into the bathroom to shower and start scrubbing the mascara from my cheeks. I changed into two Simone dresses that I layered with some ballet flats. It was a bit too casual for my style, but I didn't have any need to dress flawlessly to the airport. Hence why my hair just air-dried and didn't catch much style.
Soon enough, Vera called and came up to help me with my bags. I didn't bother calling the bellhop, just wanting to get out of there. Walking to the elevator, we stopped outside as I flipped my phone over in my hands anxiously. I glanced at the clock and then at the text messages, just a few from Edward.
"You okay?" Vera asked as the bell sounded and the door opened. She pulled my wheeled-suitcase in and I carried my larger carry-on bag—I insisted I could handle both, but she wouldn't have it.
"Yeah, I'm fine," I said with a smile. Just then, my phone lit up and signaled a call. Without looking, I answered it with a sigh and a "hello?" I nearly dropped the phone when I heard who answered.
"Alice, can I—" Jasper's voice caught me off guard, but instead of answering him or listening to anymore he had to say, I pulled my phone away from my ear and hung it up, looking over at Vera and shrugging.
"Wrong number," I dismissed and Vera smiled. I felt my phone ring again and decided to turn it off. Hopefully he'd get the hint.
We came to the lobby and Vera brought my suitcase outside while I checked out. I met her out by her hybrid and slid in the passenger seat with a smile as Vera immediately started talking.
"I'm so glad you came with me. I didn't want you leaving before I could say goodbye," Vera said. She was a genuinely nice girl. I'd miss her, but she lived close to Manhattan and was just here for the movie for another three months. I could tell I was going to miss her like crazy, but she lived in upstate New York.
"I'm glad you convinced me," I replied with a smile. "But as soon as you come back to New York, I want you to call me so we can meet up!" I begged her as the car sped out of the parking lot and onto one of the main busy streets. Vera looked down with a smile, but her eyes were wandering. Something was wrong. "What?"
"Alice," her voice was wary as if she were going to let out some big news. "I'll tell you when we get to the restaurant," she finished, shaking her head.
"No, you can tell me now," I said, my voice in a panic. She was stubborn, though, and we made it all the way to a quaint restaurant across the city. We sat in a booth in the dimly lit dining hall just as the rain began outside. Lucky for us, Vera had a feeling and brought two umbrellas in with us.
We ordered drinks and the waitress left the table after handing out menus and as Vera's eyes skimmed over the lunch deals, I closed mine and put my hand over hers, pulling it out of her grasp. "Alright, spill."
Vera sighed, looking me in the eyes and turning away slightly. "We're moving to Portland," she broke the news and I swallowed back any comment to come forward, letting her finish. "I have been writing my own screenplays and sent them out to Los Angeles. I'm waiting to hear back, but two companies already said they were interested. John said he didn't want me moving around so much if this all worked out and I already found a house. Plus, Henry is so young; we can still move and changing school won't be an issue. Not to mention, Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie are here—I have friends, a second family to watch Henry when I'm away or just to be with… I don't want to–"
"Vera, you don't have to explain yourself," I replied, giving her a rest. "I'm happy for you! I didn't know you were an aspiring screenwriter. Director, sure, but screenwriter? That's awesome."
"I didn't know either," she blushed from the compliment and looked down as I handed back her menu and she opened it sheepishly. "I just had a couple ideas and started writing."
I sat back for a minute, looking down at my menu and zoning out a bit. Wow, so not only would I lose Jasper and Annabelle, but Vera, too? Plus, I still wished to have a friendship with Rosalie… Not to mention Emmett loved picking on me and we had formed a sort-of brother-sister relationship in our short meeting. Charlotte was friendly and would constantly pop in to watch Jasper and I interact with Annabelle uninvited, but she was similar to Vera: affable, polite, and generous. But now my one connection back to Portland was leaving New York, too—and so soon?
Vera jumped and smiled apologetically. "Sorry, I didn't realize my phone was in my pocket," she apologized as she squirmed to find her phone and looked at the screen. I went back to my menu and decided on a Greek salad before I heard Vera on the phone. "Hi," she greeted with her signature hospitable tone. "Uh—yeah, why? I don't think she—no, you're right. I won't. All right, bye."
"Who was that?" I asked curiously as she hung up and looked up with a shrug.
"Rosalie about Annabelle. She wants to stop by and surprise her," she shrugged. "She was asking if she could meet me tomorrow rather than tonight." The waitress came over and saved her from explaining further. Our lunch was long, we giggled and talked, gabbed and gossiped. I didn't talk about my Jen Kao opportunity in New York—I don't know why, I just hadn't mentioned it. She forced me into a chocolate moose pie that she claimed was "to die for!" It was.
I didn't want to say goodbye to Vera, but as she pulled into the drop-off of the airport and got out to help me get my suitcase out of the trunk, we stayed under the overhang to avoid the rain and hugged for what felt like hours. I didn't want to let go. She finally pried me off of her and I apologized, but she was fighting back tears. "Go before we make a scene and we both start crying," Vera said with a shaky laugh.
I hugged her one more time before grabbing my suitcase and lugging it inside. After checking in my bags, I went to grab a cup of coffee and sat at the gate, curled up in a chair, taking out my sketchbook and flipping through it. Five pages were filled with sketches of Annabelle's ensemble before I flipped to a portrait of Jasper. I had begun it in his living room one night as he finished up some schoolwork after he put Annabelle to bed. His furrowed brow as he concentrated, the small smirk I kept from when he realized what I had been doing…
I shut the sketchbook and put it back in my carry-on bag. "We're now boarding. Passengers with children and those who have the emergency exit seating are first to board. Next will be our handicapped and elderly passengers. Please be patient," the employee said cheerfully. If she were in New York, her tone would be anything but peppy as I noticed the dozens of children and wheelchair passengers on the flight.
From the rain, I knew we'd be sitting on the flight for a while until it passed. We were delayed, as always. I stood up to stretch my legs, taking out my phone and turning it on. As I noticed the hundreds of missed calls come up, I remembered why it was off and put it in my pocket on vibrate. I flattened the hem of my dress and faced the boarding ramp as I waited for the children and other passengers to board, toying with my ticket. My mind wandered, fighting back and forth with my heart.
Should I really go? Edward and Bella are getting married; of course I should go. But Vera was moving. So what? I had friends back in New York. What about Annabelle? She won't remember in ten years. And Jasper—he didn't even say goodbye to me. He doesn't love me. He couldn't say it.
A hand gripped my upper arm, turning me around and I gasped at the ferocity of the motion. I blinked as I saw Jasper, his hair a mess, his eyes wild, his clothes wrinkled and drenched from the rain. He was breathing heavily as if he had just run a marathon. His hand gripped my arm as if trying to keep me there in front of him—as if I would move.
"Jasper?" my voice shook slightly as I felt the same lump in my throat from last night find its familiar place. "Did you just run here?" I asked, as his breathing turned ragged and didn't seem to relax.
He swallowed and nodded. "I parked too far away; I didn't want to miss you—but that's not the point," his spearmint breath warmed my cheeks as he exhaled shakily. I struggled to avoid his penetrating gaze, knowing that was my weakness with him. With one look, I would be nothing, but putty in his hands.
"So what is the point, because I'm kind of busy," I replied, moving to turn toward the slowly boarding plane, but he pulled me right back. I slammed into his chest before our lips met in a pure intoxicating kiss. I felt his hands on either hip and I heard my bag drop to the floor as my hand ran through his hair and then down to pull on his collar, bringing him closer. I leaned on my tiptoes to reach him and he lifted me slightly as we must have created a scene in the middle of the airport. I didn't mind it.
His tongue traced my lower lip and I held back a moan as our lips moved in tandem. I couldn't keep a single thought in my head as I felt my dress riding up just an inch or two. He pulled back too soon, but kept me on my toes as he nuzzled his nose with mine. "I love you," he confessed breathlessly. "Stay," he whispered, his lips brushing over mine. I closed my eyes and grunted quietly in frustration.
"Why didn't you tell me this last night?" I whispered back and he waited for me to continue. "I was offered a job in New York—I'd be going to Paris," I replied and I felt him pull back. I let off my toes and looked down, biting my lip as he took a step back. I couldn't look up to see his disappointed gaze and retracting emotions. I anticipated that, but I hadn't expected what happened next.
A black velvet box was in the palm of his hand and he opened it to reveal a silver banded ring with a diamond in the center—simple, elegant, perfect. "I'll wait," he replied and I gasped.
A/N: I used to have more to the ending, so if you liked that bit added, tell me and I'll add an outtake. I didn't like it as much and got rid of it. Hope you liked the ending. There will be a sequel as you all requested, however I have a new crazy idea for a fanfic and I'm not sure if I'm going to start that during/after the sequel. It's a darker version of Twilight that I've wanted to do for a while. I just don't know if everyone will be open-minded... anyway, there will be a sequel, so don't worry! Thanks for reading and review! Tell me what you want to see in the sequel, what you liked about this chapter, what you like to see more of in the next story. Review, review. :)