Everyday Moments Of Perfection

Superman In Training

A/N: Hey, everyone. Sorry this has taken a little longer than usual to update. I've got exams on, and I've been a bit tied up with that. Probably won't be updating as much over the next month. In fact, I'm pretty sure I won't be. Although, it just all kind of depends on what I do to pass the time between studying and sitting exams. Who knows, I might get inspired if I get a ton of reviews. Hehe. Anyway, this one's a little different. Alice gets to watch as for once, Jasper gets to play the hero.

Jasper was late. He cursed lowly, as he dashed through the woods, side-running around trees and jumping over bushes. He had gotten sidetracked during the hunt, and it had taken too long. Now he was ten minutes late to meet Alice in the town. She wanted to go shopping for a new car. Although, Jasper reasoned, she had probably foreseen his lateness and adjusted her schedule accordingly. Still, Jasper's gentlemanly instincts were ingrained within him, and he felt uneasy keeping a lady waiting.

Besides, every muscle in him was burning, pushing him forward, towards her. He needed to see her. Jasper felt greedy for it, but he didn't care very much. He got to keep this mystical, beautiful woman all to himself, and he loved it. He just felt so incredibly, euphorically lucky, every time his eyes fell on her elfin features, taking in the wicked gleam in her eye, the way her pale complexion seemed to glow with vivacious and inconquerable energy.

Jasper felt his pace quicken.

Every second brought him closer to her, but it still seemed like an eternity. He growled a little as he realised that once he got to the edge of the forest, he would have to slow down to a human velocity, lest he be seen. Luckily, the sky was overcast with grey, pregnant clouds, and Jasper knew it would be a long while before they disappated. So at least he wouldn't have to worry about looking like a disco ball in the middle of the street. Jasper had laughed when Bella had used that simile to descibe how they looked in the sun, and now found himself unable to find any other metaphor for it. It was really rather irritating, though Edward found it endearing. Jasper rolled his eyes. That wasn't at all surprising. Edward could find endearment in anything Bella did.

Jasper slowed to a human speed as he approached the edge of the forest, where the trees stopped and the roads abruptly began. There were no humans about. Jasper sighed. A part of him wanted to chance it, to just dash along the roads as fast as he could go, and that way, he could be with Alice quicker. But he knew Alice would frown on that, just in case a human did happen to pass by in a car, or look out of the window of their house. So Jasper chose the slow way.

He jogged along the side of the road, sprinting for short bursts every few minutes. He knew that humans were incapable of maintaining high speeds for very long, unless they were trained. Jasper's head whipped to the side sharply. He thought he had caught the ghost of a scent on his tongue; he felt like he knew it, but it had evaded him before he could truly get a grip on it.

Jasper heard a high-pitched, girlish laugh, and turned his head back to face the direction he was running. A small girl, of about six, was sitting outside her house, playing with a ball. She was dribbling it, but kept catching it after one bounce, pouting as she was unable to bounce it more than once without it rolling away from her.

The girl frowned, throwing the ball into the air and letting it bounce. She reached out to catch it again, but her fingers didn't quite grasp it, and it bounced out onto the opposite side of the road. She gasped, before immediately running after it.

It happened in slow-motion for Jasper.

The big, black 4x4 rounded the corner, clearly going way above the speed limit. Jasper just registered the short burst of annoyance and frustration emanating from the driver, clearly the cause of the blatant inattention to their speed.

Jasper's eyes flew to the little girl, and before he had really had a chance to think, he darted out in front of the car, sweeping up the girl in one swoop and dashing back to the safe side of the road, his arms wrapped protectively around the little human.

It was only when he heard her heavy breathing, and the rapid thumping of her heart, that it completely sank in what he had just done.

But instead of feeling panic and fright radiating from the child, he felt mostly awe, but also gratitude. As gently as he could manage, he placed the girl onto the concrete and looked at her. She gave a hesistant smile, and Jasper felt his own lips turn upward. This seemed to encourage her, because she grinned at him, showing small, white teeth.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"You're welcome," said Jasper instinctively.

"You have pretty eyes," commented the little girl, her own blue orbs growing wide as she registered the ethereal colour of his, seemingly dazzled by them. "Are you a superhero?" she whispered, excitedly.

Jasper didn't know how the girl knew that his nerves were fraught with panic. He certainly didn't think it was showing on his face. But the girl patted his shoulder, with an odd level of maturity and said, "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."

Jasper was a little flabbergasted, but managed to compose himself. "Thank you," he said.

The girl smiled. "I'm Grace, by the way."

"Lovely to meet you, Grace. I'm... uh..." Jasper faltered slightly, unsure if he should tell her his name, just in case she did happen to mention her little sojourn with the road to anyone. But she interrupted him anyway before he could try and explain.

"It's a secret, isn't it? It's okay, I don't mind." Then she looked out, over the road, a little wistfully. Jasper spotted the orange ball still lying on the other side of the road. He didn't know what possessed him. He winked at Grace, and said, "Give me one second."

Before she could blink, he had shot out across the road, and was now holding out her ball between his long, pale fingers, twirling it a little in his grasp.

"Wow..." she said, reaching out to take it. "Thanks." Grace smiled brightly.

Jasper turned his head again as that scent passed by once more. But it lingered for a second longer than last time, and therefore Jasper was able to pinpoint it. Of course! Jasper couldn't believe how he hadn't realised that before, even though the scent was barely noticeable. It was Alice. Jasper spotted his little pixie racing about the shadows, coming to a halt just out of view, next to the house. She smiled at him, waiting patiently in the shade by the side of the front yard.

"I have to go," Jasper said, with something resembling an apology in his voice.

"Okay," the girl whispered, the awe returning to her voice. "Bye."

Jasper blurred before her eyes as he ran to the side of the house. Alice grasped his hand as they kept running, until they were well out of sight of both the roads and houses. Alice wrapped her arms around Jasper's neck, giving him a kiss on the cheek by way of greeting, her golden eyes surveying him closely.

"That was..."

Jasper interrupted her, "Stupid and completely reckless... I know. It was."

"Beautiful," Alice finished softly.

Jasper was rendered speechless, and before he could say anything else, Alice captured him in a deep, passionate kiss.

"You saved that girl's life."

Jasper gave a helpless, lop-sided smile. "It was a reaction. Just an instinct."

"Yeah. An instinct to protect. You're turning into a regular Superman, aren't you?" Alice said playfully.

Jasper pretended to mull it over, as Alice laughed softly. His eyes twinkled. "Not just yet."

Alice raised an eyebrow, a smile still pulling at her lips. She tugged his hand. "Come on. I've got my eye on this Bentley..."

Together, they ran, blurring down the road so fast that regular human eyes would not be quick enough to spot them.

All except for one human girl, standing in her front garden, attempting to dribble an orange ball.

She smiled, bouncing the ball once.

Grace clutched the basketball tightly in her arms and made her way back into the house.

A/N: Well, I hope you liked it. I like writing Superman!Jasper. He rocks our collective socks, I think. :)

Raven. x