A/N: Hello my dear ones. I know short chapter is short, but that usually means next chapter will be long. Mwah. Thank you all.

The new nook Edward had built for Bella was proving to be his favorite addition to the house yet.

He sat on the window seat, his wife between his spread legs, rubbing her back as he looked out over his lawn and to the street beyond that. Situated as the little nook was, he could see everything but not be seen from the street.

Which, he suspected, was why Jasper was still out there, pacing the sidewalk.

"What will you tell him?" Bella asked, her voice unassuming though he knew she had opinions.

But then, Bella always had opinions.

"It depends on the question." Edward tried to keep his voice neutral, but he could hear the edge.

Bella glanced over her shoulder, a frown to her face, and Edward sighed. "You know Jasper is my friend."

"And a good man. He makes your sister happy."

Edward grumbled lightly, slipping his arms around her, his hands cupping their son. "There is more to it than that. You know it."

"Is there?" Despite the tension he could feel in her posture, she leaned back against his chest. "Our marriage was not so simple."

"No. And Jasper would have prevented our marriage if he could. Surely you remember." He ran a hand through his hair, bristling a little. "It is not the same. Not nearly. I had the means to take care of you."

"Do you think that's why I married you? For all this?" She gestured around her. She shifted in his arms to look him in the eye. "I would have said yes to you that day in the forest before the war, no matter if you were a pauper or a prince." With a small sigh, she reached back, stroking his cheek. "You may do well to honor Alice's choice. It is her happiness on the line, not yours."

Edward's frown deepened, and he ducked his head, hiding his face in her hair.

Hadn't he said much the same thing to Jasper once? She has made her choice, and you will honor it.

Again he sighed, kissing the side of her head. "You will be such a good mother. Have I told you this?"

Her posture relaxed again and she leaned back against him, cuddling close. "You have told me. I hope you're right."

He knew she worried, having never had a mother. "I am right," he assured, traipsing his fingers over the hardness at her middle. "A good mother is always honest. If we have a daughter, I expect I will be much more ridiculous than I am about Alice. Much, much more."

She held her hands over his, pressing them firm where their baby moved within her. "That I can promise you, husband mine. When it come to our child's happiness, I will always speak up."

"Good." His head on her shoulder, he saw as Jasper took a deep breath, put on his hat, and marched purposefully toward the house. "Well, wish me luck, my dear. It's time to find out if I am a good brother."

They stood, and she kissed his cheek. "I trust you to make the right choice."

Edward nodded before he ascended the stairs, heading for his study. There, he sat, drumming his fingers on his desk, waiting.

Sure enough, just a few minutes later, Seth appeared. "Mr. Cullen? Mr. Whitlock is here to see you."

"Direct him here, Seth," Edward said lightly.

He rearranged the paperwork on his desk, making himself appear busy. Jasper's steps were slow and measured as he came down the hallway, halting just outside the door. "Edward?"

"Ah, Jasper. Come in." He gestured to the seat in front of him. "Sit down. Might I offer you some brandy?"

"No. Thank you."

"Well. I believe Peter is at the market with my mother and Alice, but I'm sure they'll be home shortly."

Jasper removed his hat, nervously worrying it between his hands. "I thought we might have a word, Edward."

"As many as you'd like."

The blond man smirked. "Right," he said wryly. He cleared his throat. "I'll be plain with you. I... I've taken a shine to your sister, to Alice. Quite a shine."

And there it was.

Edward put down his paperwork, looking up at his friend steadily. "I see. And what are your intentions?"

Jasper laughed nervously. "My intentions? Look, you and I both know I have nothing to offer. I wouldn't be here except Alice doesn't have a mind to wait. She made that quite clear."

"Did she?" Edward arched an eyebrow. "When were you alone with my sister?" He was fairly certain his mother or Emmett would have told him about that conversation had it happened in their earshot.

"Ah, hell," Jasper muttered, his cheeks flushed. "Nothing untoward happened, Edward. You know I would never..." He swallowed hard. "She came to the factory. I'd have stopped her if I'd known she was going to do it."

"How did that gossip not reach my ears?" Edward mused out loud.

"She was discreet. I don't think anyone saw her. She asked another worker to come get me. I think she paid him handsomely."

Jasper had apparently figured that honesty was the best policy.

Edward had to laugh. "Relax, Jasper. I believe you. When Alice wants something, there is not much to be done to dissuade her."

The other man's answering smile was gentle, adoring. "I'm discovering that."

"So your intentions?" Edward prompted. "I wasn't under the impression you were in any position to take on a wife."

"I'm not," Jasper admitted. "I... can I be plain with you?"

Edward swept his hand wide.

"I... I never expected I could feel like this. God help me, it's different even than it was with Maria." He looked down, his eyebrows knitted. "She makes me feel alive again. She makes me feel like tomorrow is worth it."

Edward said nothing. He understood how love could reshape a life that had once been dull and lifeless.

"As I said, I have nothing much to offer. But everything I have, everything I am, is hers." There was nothing but the deepest sincerity in his eyes. In an age when such fanciful confessions were considered too foolishly sentimental to be shared with another man, he was showing Edward a piece of his soul - the only thing he had to give. "She would never want for love."

Edward drummed his fingers on the desktop again, thinking. "Love will not support her."

"No," Jasper agreed. "Until I can get my feet under me, I'm only asking for permission to court her."

Sitting back, Edward steepled his fingers under his chin. "I have conditions."

Jasper let out his breath a great rush of air. He swallowed hard. "Such as?"

"I believe what you're saying, Jasper. You would love, honor, and cherish my sister with your last breath, but love is not enough to provide what she needs - what she deserves."

"You have a solution?"

"Perhaps." Edward looked at his friend evenly. "You need the means to provide for Alice and Peter. Forgive me, but I believe if left to your own devices, you may not be able to give Alice the home she deserves for too many years. That simply will not do. I won't have her becoming an old maid, waiting for you.

"So here is my proposal. I don't know how much you pay attention to the gossip, but you might know, I am in need of a newspaper manager."

Jasper blinked, looking entirely confused. "I don't follow."

"I mean to hire you," Edward said plainly.

His friend laughed. "Edward, I don't know a lick about running a newspaper."

"I'm well aware of that. Neither do I." Edward stood, going to stare out the window, clasping his hands behind his back. "What I'm proposing is not an easy solution by a long shot. As you said, you have no experience. In addition, the men you manage will not have any respect for you because they will, correctly, assume you got the job because of your connections to my family. You shall have to earn their respect."

He turned around. "In a year, if you have not run my newspaper into the ground, I shall give my consent for you to marry my sister. What say you, sir?"

Jasper turned his hat over and over in his hand, his face a mask of consternation. Edward knew well enough that it was a great blow to Jasper's pride to offer him a job like this, a job he hadn't earned.

After a moment, he stood and offered his hand. Edward took it. They shook.

Edward smiled. "Welcome to the family, my friend, my brother."

~0~

"Didn't you tell me he punched you when he found out about you and Bella?"

Edward glanced at his elder brother with a bemused expression. They were sitting side by side on the porch, watching Alice and Jasper walk the gardens hand in hand. "He did, but what does that matter?"

"You might have at least returned the favor," Emmett grumbled.

"Yes, well," Edward chuckled. "It would have upset Bella."

"Then you should have called for me and let me do it."

"How do you propose that?" Edward snorted. "Trust me, he throws a hell of a punch. I'd have had to hold him down for you, and that puts me back at the same concern: not upsetting my very pregnant wife."

Emmett didn't respond for a long minute, then he huffed. "A Southerner. A Confederate," he muttered. "Well, it's true what they say. A Cullen never does love reasonably."

"I suppose not."

"And you made him manager of the paper? You're a glutton for punishment, especially when Hunter is doing his level best to make life... interesting."

Edward turned, hearing the note in his brother's voice. "Something else?"

Emmett rolled his eyes. "It seems Mr. Hunter took it upon himself to inform the partners at my firm about my extracurricular activities."

"You mean your giving legal counsel to the impoverished?" Edward asked, sitting up straighter. "Emmett, I'm sorry."

His brother waved his hand. "Surprisingly enough, they took it well. They said they hadn't any control over what a man talked about outside the office."

Edward breathed a little easier. "Thank God," he muttered. "Hunter is stubborn. It's been some weeks and he's still barking like a rabid dog, trying to sink his teeth into something."

"It's a fool thing. He may yet be able to have a life, give his wife and children some peace, back in Richmond." Emmett shook his head. "He can only hope to destroy himself - and them - further by insisting on staying around here."

"But he has no leg to stand on," Edward continued, thinking aloud. "And he no longer has the power to sway opinion."

The brothers were silent, considering.

"You'll have to tell Jasper to expect some trouble, I think. Or at least some noise from Hunter," Emmett said thoughtfully.

"Oh, look at that," Edward said suddenly, forgetting all about James Hunter.

Emmett looked and frowned. "Oh for the love of God," he muttered.

Across the lawn, Peter, who had been playing in the grass with Charlotte, had pulled the barely one year old girl to her feet. He walked patiently, holding her hand tight so she wouldn't fall. Doubtlessly imitating what he'd seen his father do earlier, he picked a large white flower from the bushes. Charlotte offered him a huge grin, taking the flower and promptly stuffing it in her mouth.

Standing quickly, Edward picked the girl up and Emmett got the flower out of her mouth.

Peter looked up at them with wide eyes. "I sorry," he said quickly. "Papa says Miss Awice is his sweethawt. I wan' Shaw-lot to be my sweetheart."

Jasper chuckled nervously, catching this last bit as he and Alice came up to them. "Give it a few more years before you start talking about sweethearts, Peter," he admonished gently. He picked the boy up, adjusting him on one hip before he looked at the brothers and Alice. "The hour grows late anyhow. I should take my leave."

Edward nodded, trying not to laugh at the way Emmett glared at Jasper.

The blond man sighed. Turning to Alice, he smiled, taking her hand and bringing it to his lips. "Good evening." To Edward and Emmett he nodded. "Gentlemen."

Emmett let out a long breath before he turned to Charlotte in Edward's arms. He wagged a finger in her face. "He may well be your cousin some day, little one."

The baby grinned at him winningly and Emmett's stern expression gentled.

"Cullens never do love sensibly," Edward reminded him.

A/N: Thanks so much to Twitina for pinch beta. Thanks to Barburella for being her!

Next chap should be... interesting. It should also be the last full chap. I think. Maybe.