Everyday Moments Of Perfection

Perfect, Broken Creatures

A/N: Right, well, time for another of my crazily random AH ones. I was re-reading my entry for the Epic Rated T Oneshot Contest, run by the late DLC (Rest in peace, Stephanie.) and Bronzehairedgirl, and I realised just how much I like writing crazy Alice/Jasper. So, this was born. Yeah...

Alice sat and watched the rain crash down on the translucent panes of glass. She looked on, transfixed, as the single drops collided, and separated into a hundred tiny droplets. Each one dripped lazily down the windowpane, drawing a watery trail that blurred the world outside. Alice registered every tiny, insignificant detail of this event with child-like fascination. She cocked her head to the side; her short, loose ebony curls that trailed down to her ears moving with her. Alice lifted an emaciated, chalky hand to her head, absently curling a ringlet around her finger as her bright jade eyes sparkled with the sound of the rain, peaceful to her ears.

She moved her legs from under her body, and stretched them out in front of her, shaking them to get rid of the ticklish pins and needles sensation that came from cutting off her circulation for nearly an hour. They felt hot as the blood rushed down to her toes, the unfamiliar feeling disarming Alice for a second. She rubbed her flushed legs until it wore off. The cold cell floor beneath felt hard and uncomfortable, and Alice shakily got to her feet.

Her gaze once again fell upon the window, but this time her eyes registered the coal-coloured, iron bars in front of it.

Alice's lips turned down into a petulant frown, and her emerald eyes shimmered again, but this time she was creating her own rain. Alice leant forlornly against the brick wall of her small cell, and looked towards the opposite side. The heavy, metal door remained locked and bolted, the only sliver of artificial, yellow light filtering through from the slits around the small, metal square that was just big enough for a pair of eyes to see through.

Alice sighed, the sound filling the small space. She looked to the side. Her cell was adjoined to another, separated only by a wall of bars. They had brought in a new patient yesterday, and so far, he hadn't moved a muscle. Alice looked pensively at the newcomer. He sat, crouched as small as he could go in the corner of his cell that was shrouded in shadow. There was a line of light reflecting from the window, making his little space a triangle of shadow. If Alice squinted, she could make out thick, tousled, blond hair.

Alice was about to move over to the bars that separated them, when she heard the uniform pair of footsteps echoing in the corridor outside. The whitecoats. They referred to themselves as doctors, but Alice had always recognised them by the colour of their coats. She hoped it was the blond one; the kind one. There were two who were nicer than the others. Maybe his handsome assistant had come too. Alice always noticed his piercing green eyes first. They were nearly the same shade as hers. His almost-bronze hair stood out a mile, as well. She vaguely recalled his name; Edward, or something.

The hole in the cell door slid back with a metallic sound that rang in Alice's ears and she flinched.

"Sorry, Alice," a voice muttered from the other side as Alice heard keys being jangled. She sighed. It was the blond whitecoat. Alice felt herself relax slightly, but she still could not help the little feeling of dread that crept up within her at this time every day. She had long since got used to it, but it still knocked her for six sometimes. Alice glanced at the mysterious occupant of the cell beside her. She didn't know why, but just looking at him made that little trickle of fear melt away into nothing.

Dr. Carlisle Cullen opened the cell door, and stepped inside, wheeling in a little silver tray with a syringe lying on a clinical, white cloth. He picked it up carefully, and walked towards her. His eyes were kind... but Alice didn't like the colour of the liquid inside the silver syringe. She usually got the red one. This was gold.

"How are you today, Alice?" the whitecoat asked, and Alice found herself mesmerised by his voice. She swayed a little, closing her eyes.

"Mmm... good. Why is it gold?" she asked, drowsily. Carlisle glanced towards his syringe.

"New medicine, Alice. Don't worry."

Alice sat back down on the floor. "Okay."

Carlisle gently inserted the needle into her arm, pushing the golden liquid into her vein. Alice tensed, and so a droplet of blood emerged from the dot in her arm, contrasting sharply with the unhealthily white pallor of her skin. Alice curled her legs up, pushing them against her chest. Carlisle wiped the blood from her arm, sticking a plaster over it. Once he relinquished her arm, Alice wrapped them around her legs, laying her head against her knees. She felt Carlisle ruffle her hair a little and whisper, "Good girl," in an unusually compassionate voice for a whitecoat, before closing the door as quietly as he could behind him, and locking it once more.

Alice lifted her head a little, turning her gaze once again towards the man in the cell beside her. He hadn't moved at all, not even to acknowledge the noises. Alice waited patiently. He would have to move when Carlisle went to administer his medicine. Then she would see his face. But Carlisle's steps faded away... he had not gone into the cell. Alice swore under her breath.

Hesistantly, she rose from her position, going to sit next to the bars. She just sat and looked at him, the way his strong, muscled arms held fast around his legs. His arms were tanned, with little white scars criss-crossing across the skin. Alice felt a wild urge to run her fingers along every one of them. Unconsciously, her hand reached out, curling around one of the cold bars that separated them. She clutched it tightly, and just openly stared at him.

Alice didn't know how long she sat there, but before long the daylight started to die, and the starlight began to cast stripes of pale silvery light over her gaunt form, highlighting her cheekbones, which stuck out at an unusual angle, but gave her a unique look.

Her eyes were still alert, and she scrutinised his form, committing it to her memory. More time passed with no recognition from Alice, until his head moved. The tiny movement did not go unnoticed by Alice. She sat a little more rigidly, clutching the bars tighter. He moved. She was sure of it. A few more moments passed, and he raised his head slowly, until she could make out his eyes in the shadows. They were a deep azure, and Alice let out a little gasp. She hadn't expected his eyes to be so vibrant, so... beautiful.

His gaze turned questioning, and he cocked his head to the side. Alice's eyes gleamed, and she gave a little dimpled smile. The gesture he had made was adorable. She leaned closer to the bars, pressing her forehead against the icy metal. They spoke not a word. The silence was beautiful. His eyes held hers for minutes that felt like years.

After a while, the man slowly unfolded his limbs, until he was sitting, cross-legged, in his little triangle of starlight-streaked shadow. His curiosity seemed piqued enough for him to edge forward a little, until he was sitting on the line that divided the light from the shadow. Alice relinquished her hold on the bars, and stuck her hand through the gap, her eyes focused on him. She really wanted to touch him. It was an unexplanable sensation.

She searched his eyes, and he edged forward a little more, his foot crossing the line and coming into the moonlight. More of his body followed, until all of him except his face was illuminated by the mercurial light. She could see his hair, now a definite tawny-blond colour, and his bright, inquisitive eyes. He slid forward a little more, until his chiselled face came into view. Alice gasped. He was stunning. His face was adorned with those same tiny white scars that crossed his arms, and Alice longed to touch them. Her fingers were tingling with anticipation.

His eyes turned downcast, and he looked at the floor. Alice was saddened to see shame in them. He thought she would not approve of his scars. She frowned, tears forming in the corner of her eyes. How could such a perfect creature be so forlorn? It was a crime. She reached out, stretching her whole, slender arm through the gap, into his cell. At her movement, he looked up once more. Alice smiled, and his face seemed to brighten a little. His own lips curled up in automatic response.

Suddenly, he rocked forwards, pressing his palms to the floor. His eyes were still connected with hers, and he began to crawl forward. Only crawl wasn't the way to describe it. His movements were perfectly fluid, lithe as a panther, he moved towards her. Alice felt her breath hitch with every inch he moved towards her. Eventually, he was mere centimetres away from her, the only thing between them the thick, iron bars.

He lifted his hand slowly, almost cautiously, to Alice's pale hand, outstretched towards him. With extreme tenderness, he caressed her hand with a single finger, his touch feather-light, but it trailed a blaze of fire on Alice's skin. She gasped, the foreign sensation overpowering her. Alice felt a tremor of excitement run through her veins, causing her heart to stutter wildly beneath her chest.

He covered her hand with his, and the burst of warmth made goosebumps rise on Alice's bare shoulders and arms. Even her toes were tingling.

Alice suddenly realised just how close his face was to hers. She looked at his face, scrutinising each scar in precise detail. He noticed her looking, and his eyes became skittish. Alice clasped his hand firmly to keep him from retreating, but she could not keep it gripped for long. Their hands dropped, and he lifted his hand to her face, as if asking permission. She inclined her head minutely, and he stroked her cheekbone, sending another blaze of fire down her spine. Alice reached out, entwining her hand in his hair. It was a strange sensation. Alice could only ever remember how her hair felt. His was... silky, and rough... at the same time. He seemed unreal, he was so broken -- she could tell that clearly by the look in his eyes and the scars on his skin -- and yet so unearthly perfect.

He seemed fascinated by her, his eyes seemed to see inside her. Alice felt bare under his gaze, and a faint blush touched her cheeks. The blue in his eyes seemed to brighten at that, and his fingers cupped her cheek through the bars. Alice desperately wanted to ask him what his name was, but she could not bring herself to speak. This creature had rendered her unable to, with a mere touch. Her hand was still curled in his hair and she gently urged him forward. His face came ever closer to hers, so close their lips almost touched.

If Alice tilted her head even a little to the side, their lips would meet.

But something stopped her.

His eyes were just so... vulnerable. He truly was broken. Alice could see he was frightened. Her touch frightened him. She knew he was exhilarated by it, but she could not bring herself to be the cause of his fear. She found herself wondering what had happened to him to make him so fearful and timid. She wanted to take him into her arms and protect him from the world, but the bars made that impossible.

As slowly as she could manage, she moved her hand from his hair to curl around his neck. She felt a tremor run through him, but she just held him until he stopped shaking. He was still clutching her arm, his other hand on her face. They sat for a while, until eventually it became too much for him, and he retreated back to his shadowed corner.

Alice could still feel the heat of his touch lingering on her skin.

His eyes were ashamed and apologetic, but Alice's smile told him it was okay. She curled up beside the bars, looking into his sapphire eyes until eventually she fell asleep.

The next day, he did not come out into the sunlight. Alice did not try and coerce him. It seemed that the harsh light was too much for him to bear. She noticed that once more, Carlisle passed by his cell and did not administer any medicine to him. When the moon came out, he approached her once more, but this time he just sat, looking into her eyes, holding her hand in his. Alice did not speak; again, the silence was beautiful. It spoke volumes, hummed in her ears, bringing the most perfect music she could ever ask for.

When Carlisle next came to give her the new golden medicine, Alice glanced over at her perfect, broken creature, huddled once more in his shadowed triangle, and could not stop the question. It burned her tongue; she had to ask.

"Why don't you ever give him any medicine?"

Carlisle looked confused. "Who?"

Alice signalled with her eyes. "Him."

Carlisle glanced over to the cell, and then looked back at her, a frown on his face. "Alice... no one has been in there for years."

Alice's face fell, and drained of all colour. "What are you talking about?" she whispered, as calmly as she could manage. "It's clear he needs medicine."

"Alice," Carlisle spoke firmly but gently. "There is no one in the cell next to yours. A new patient is being assigned to that cell next week, but there is no one there at the moment."

"No," Alice said. She was not angry, it was just a simple word, one of complete and utter denial. She could see him with her own eyes, she saw him sitting in the corner. "No."

Alice looked up into Carlisle's eyes. She saw the doubt and worry imbued in them. Alice didn't understand. She could see him as clear as she could see the whitecoat... he was there... he was her perfect, beautiful...

"Delusion," Carlisle muttered to his almsot-bronze haired assistant, Edward, who had walked in to see what the matter was, having heard the unusual commotion. He nodded curtly, looking sympathetically at her. Alice's frown grew more pronounced as she got to her feet. "No! I refuse to believe it! You're liars, the lot of you!"

Alice's eyes were wide and frantic. Her head whipped to the side, to him. Even through all the noisy upheaval, he hadn't moved. Alice ran to the bars, wrapping her hands around them and screaming, "Tell them! Tell them that you're real! Tell them!"

He did not move.

Alice pounded the bars with her small fists, tears running down her cheeks. She vaguely heard Edward and Carlisle muttering something about a sedative, but she didn't care. She was beyond reasoning now. She shook violently when Carlisle's hands wrapped around her wrists, and Edward muttered, "Shh... it'll all be okay, Alice... shh..."

He inserted a syringe with bright blue medicine into her arm, and Alice was painfully reminded of his perfect, blue eyes. She could not see them now, his face was buried in his knees.

"Tell them," she whispered, her tears dripping onto the cold, concrete floor. "Tell them... please..."

Edward and Carlisle lay her gently next to the bars. "Sleep, Alice," Carlisle muttered, before they left.

Once the door closed, Jasper's head rose. His eyes were ancient in their sadness. Alice's eyes became heavy, but she fought to keep them open. "Tell them," she muttered, though her speech was nearly unintelligible. He approached her, though she could not see him in the sunlight, because her eyes were closing... he was getting blurry.

She felt his arms attempt to pick her up and bring her closer to the bars. He pulled her against him, and held her as close against him as he could. The metal pressed into her skin, but she didn't care because the heat of his skin against hers was beautiful... and her eyes were so heavy... and he was so close... and everything was perfect.

Alice's eyes fluttered open the tiniest bit, and to her skewed perception, he almost seemed to be glowing... no, sparkling... in the sunlight. He smiled, and Alice's heart sang.

Her eyes closed, and she fell into dreams.

In her dreams, he was always real. Always perfect.

Always hers.

A/N: Wow. I liked writing this one. Told you I loved crazy Alice/Jasper. Anyway, please, please, please review! Beautiful, broken, perfect Jasper cookies if ya do. ;)

Raven. x