Everyday Moments of Perfection

A/N: You guys all continue to astound me with the response to this! I feel so loved. Hehe. :) Thanks to everyone who reviewed.

Well, this time I'm vaguely using a plot that someone requested. Thanks for the suggestion, anna.

Jasper was being secretive.

Carrying his precious load, he crept up the stairs. He knew that it might be of no use, that even now she could see him. But as long as he didn't draw attention to it with his decisions, he might be safe. It hadn't happened yet, but Jasper kept hoping.

He clutched the box tightly in his ice-cold hands, trying not to decide anything; or even to think about what it contained.

It was Alice's birthday tomorrow. Well, they said birthday – Alice had picked a day she liked and called it her birthday. Once she had found out a little more about her history, she realised that she hadn't been that far off the mark; but they kept it on the day she had picked instead of changing it. Jasper, and the rest of the family, always tried to get her presents at the last minute, giving her less time to figure out what it was. He laughed to himself, thinking that this time, he had definitely succeeded.

~oOo~

Alice watched as Jasper flitted up the stairs, holding something small in his hand.

She had seen it a few days ago. She smiled as she remembered it; a silver chain that dripped down to form a ruby-studded, crystal rose, with amethyst-bejewelled leaves surrounding it. It was stunning; but then, so was everything that Jasper ever presented Alice with. He knew her inside-out, body and soul, knew every facet of her mind and her emotions better than anyone else could ever hope to. Alice smiled sadly as she saw his futile attempts to hide it. Every year he tried. Every year he failed. This year was no exception.

As much as Alice enjoyed the sneak previews, sometimes she wished she could turn it off. Alice knew that Jasper was always slightly disappointed when he knew that she had foreseen whatever it was he had bought for her. She could stop herself looking in on some other surprises, like that time he had taken her to Barbados for a weekend and they had gone swimming with the dolphins. Not the seaside attraction kind of dolphin swimming though. They had gone looking for the wild ones. It just seemed that when it came to presents; birthdays and holidays in particular, her visions were on auto-pilot.

She didn't want to see the presents. A part of her wished that once, just once, she could be surprised. Not that she didn't love it all anyway, it was just that she sensed the disenchantment that her visions caused when it came to presents.

She watched as Jasper entered their bedroom and a few seconds later emerged, box-less. Alice's eyes softened as she read the excitement in his. She wished she could lie; that she could pretend she had never foreseen what was in that box. But she could never lie to Jasper. Her mouth wouldn't allow her to. Besides, his power would read the falsity in her words even as she drew breath to utter them.

It would always be like this.

Alice sighed.

~oOo~

Jasper tried his level best not to think about the golden paper clad box that lay upstairs. Every time he felt himself even start to get onto that train of thought, he started humming to himself; or read a book. Anything to distract himself. Alice knocked on the door to the library. Jasper chuckled, and was at the door in a flash, opening it to see his beautiful pixie standing there, her face and hair dripping wet. It made her skin glisten slightly. Jasper looked at her, nonplussed, as a wide grin spread across her face. She wrapped her arms around him, and pulled him close, wetting his face as it brushed against hers. Jasper held her to him, then Alice answered the unanswered question in his eyes.

"It's my birthday in a little while," she said, her eyes twinkling with anticipation.

Jasper laughed and Alice pulled on his hand, leading him outside, where it was absolutely pouring with rain. It bounced off the cars in the Cullen's driveway, creating the illusion of white waves, and it crashed onto the midnight-black ground. Alice looked up to see the pitch-black night from which the rainwater fell. She clutched Jasper's hand in hers.

He kissed her on the forehead and she giggled. "Five more minutes."

Jasper gave a small smile at her excitement, and pulled her up onto his back. She wrapped her arms around his chest and rested her head in the crook of his neck.

~oOo~

Dawn came, and with it, the Cullens' filtered into the lounge, each embracing Alice and wishing her a happy birthday. All had given her wonderful gifts; she loved each and every one, even though the rest of the family knew fine well she had already known what every gift would be. Finally, Jasper held her hand in his and pulled out a small, golden box. Alice saw him look at her carefully, discerning her emotions. Alice felt a twinge of sadness, as she had already seen what the gift would be. A slight hint of disappointment flickered over Jasper's expression before he schooled his features.

Alice gave an apologetic smile and opened the box.

Inside, lay a small, round, silver object.

Alice gasped. What? She could not have been wrong; her visions were never wrong. Changeable, yes, but never incorrect.

Jasper grinned as he felt the genuine surprise in her emotions. He had never really felt it from her before, and it was one of the sweetest things he had ever experienced with his power. His diversion tactic had worked.

"That," he said. "Is your main present. This," he brought out an identical golden box. "Well, I think you already know what this is."

Alice opened it, and saw the necklace, just as she had foreseen, though it looked even more stunning in reality. "Jasper, it's beautiful." Alice whispered. "But…what's this?"

She raised an eyebrow at the small, round, silver thing. Jasper picked it up carefully, and flicked it out. Alice smiled. It was a key.

"What does it unlock?" Alice asked, grinning.

"You'll see," Jasper said secretively.

~oOo~

A few hours' driving, and Alice and Jasper had reached their destination. It was noon, and the sun shone high in the midday sky. Alice was about to open the door of the car, when Jasper touched her arm to stop her.

"Do you foresee anyone around?" he asked.

"Nope," said Alice with a chuckle. "We're free to sparkle to our heart's content."

Jasper laughed and moved like lightning, opening the door for Alice to step out. She looked at the sight before her and gasped. It was a small cottage, quaint but yet extremely quirky. Exactly like Alice. The door was a pale purple, matching the gate at the front, which opened onto a garden abundant in flowers. Lilies, roses, freesias…all varieties and colours. Alice adored it.

She took the key from Jasper's hand, and giggling excitedly, ran to the front door to explore her new cottage.

Jasper chuckled, and beamed to himself as he watching his glimmering sweetheart flit to the door, looking like an ethereal fairy as she shimmered in the sun, before disappearing inside.

"Surprise," he whispered, before meandering in after her.