Everyday Moments Of Perfection

Chapter Fifty-Three: She, Who Walks In Beauty

A/N: Yes, the chapter title is shamelessly paraphrased from Lord Byron. :)

Either way, this is Jasper, musing over the fact that even though Alice is incredibly ostentatious, and dare I say, a little bit of a party/shopping animal... they only ever had one wedding. This is set just before New Moon, when preparations are being made for Bella's fateful birthday party.

"And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent;
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!"

-- Extract from She Walks In Beauty, by Lord Byron.

~oOo~

Jasper watched the hustle and bustle of the house as it passed by. The house was full of excitement from floor to ceiling, encasing Jasper in a comfortable aura of warmth, with just a tinge of the adrenaline that comes with anticipation sparking in his veins. Esme and — with much reluctance on her part — Rosalie, were buzzing past like little worker bees, parcels and decorations in their hands. Alice was the queen bee, overseeing her subjects, darting around making little touches, like flowers around the cake and sprinkling dust-mote-sized glitter powder over the top of the glossy, black grand piano. Jasper doubted that Bella's human eyes would even notice, but he said nothing. It made Alice happy to do this.

Jasper observed as, with a pleasant smile, Alice approached the tower of colourful birthday presents that were carefully arranged on the table. She shifted one of the presents the tiniest fraction sideways. Her slender fingers seemed to be dancing over the paper to Jasper's eyes.

Jasper arched his fingers, his form perfectly still as he mused. Alice liked everything to be perfect, to the 't'. She liked order, knowing exactly what was supposed to happen, planning every tiny aspect and fixing it all exactly to her liking. Jasper knew this about her. Just like everyone knew that about her.

But Jasper knew something they didn't.

Secretly, Alice loved it a little more when things didn't go quite to plan. She loved to be surprised. It didn't happen often, but when it did, Jasper felt that little spark in her emotions, a crescendo of happiness rising within her, like a mockingbird about to burst into song.

For example; at their reception, after the wedding. Alice had foreseen that Esme would be the one to catch her bouquet. Imagine her surprise when Edward made a split-second decision and gently shoved Emmett into the flying flowers' path. Once caught, Emmett rose an eyebrow at the delicate bunch of lilies and roses resting in his large, pale hands. Rosalie nudged him, and winked.

They were married — yet again — the very next week. No surprises when Alice was asked to be the wedding planner, but rather surprise that a wedding was to take place at all, and all because of a snap decision.

Jasper had looked over at his bride's face and seen the grin of genuine delight on her face at the unforeseen events.

Thinking of weddings, Jasper's mind wandered to his own. His own, singular wedding. While Emmett and Rosalie had been married far more times than he could count, even if he had twelve hands, he and Alice had been married only once. Even Esme and Carlisle had renewed their vows quite a few times since their original wedding.

Jasper had never vocally broached the subject with Alice. They had reached a silent understanding. Because Jasper knew that no matter how much Alice loved celebrations, and ostentatious parties... they were common occurrences, especially in the Cullen household. Alice did not want her wedding to be common. Not that she wanted to diminish the love that Emmett and Rosalie's numerous marriages held, she just felt that, for her, one wedding was enough.

And Jasper felt the same.

During his human life, his mother had taught him that marriage was sacred, to be shared with the one person you were absolutely certain you wanted to spend the rest of your life with, no matter how long or short. It was not a frivolous party to be repeated whenever the fancy struck. When he placed a ring on his wife's finger, it would be both the first and last time he would ever do so.

But he would remember it, with crystal clarity, for the rest of his life. He would remember the singularly beautiful smile adorning Alice's lips as Carlisle — for he acted as their minister — declared that they were bound as husband and wife for the rest of eternity. There was to be no other smile like it. Never to be recreated, that smile belonged to that moment, and that moment alone. Anything else would be a pallid imitation, because no matter how much pleasure the words 'husband and wife' would give him, they could never hope to compare to that second, that declaration, that smile.

That feeling of perfect unity and total peace.

The feeling that would live within Jasper's heart forever.

And also in hers.

He could feel it whenever she glanced at him. Whenever she took his hands in hers, whenever she kissed him. When they made love. That unity was reaffirmed. There was no cause for another wedding, because every time he even thought her name that feeling arose in him once more. Every glance reminded him, every touch, every smile.

Their love was perfect. Their wedding had been perfect.

One cut of perfection was more than enough for them.

Alice looked over at Jasper as she affixed a streamer to the staircase banister.

She smiled.

A/N: Yeah, this one's a little shorter, but I like it. It's a little cutesy. :)

Review?

Much love, Raven. xxx