Forks -

-You want… to ask me questions?- Jasper asks, he was sitting cross legged on the bed, facing Alice who was in the same position as him, holding a magazine that looked as old as it looked worn out, tape holding several pages together.

He's been in this hotel room for the past three days, Alice refused to let him be without a roof until he healed, which he had done, a lot, he's healed more in three days than he's done in a week.

It was still tortuously slow, but some of the less serious ones had already sealed, and while that was good, the trembling in his hands had gotten worse, he tried to not let it bother him.

But he couldn't, much less when the ache flared to life whenever he fed, craving for something that he shouldn't crave, it irritated him to no end, specially when Alice gave him those reassuring looks.

Because she knew, and it filled him with too much shame despite knowing she wasn't judging him, but he hated it, he hated what the Volturi had turned him into, hated craving that stupid thing, he wasn't a friggin' addict.

It was as frustrating as it was infuriating, because he didnt do this to himself, he didn't ask for it.

But at least he had Alice.

Her constant presence helped soothe his negative emotions.

-Yes, I mean, we have known each other for quite a while, and let's face it, we don't know much about each other.- Alice said, Jasper frowned at her.

-I thought we did, we know lots 'bout each other, last names, ages, birthdates, siblings, favorite color, favorite animal, hobbies-

-I know.- Alice cut him off, looking down at the magazine she was holding, it was one of her oldest magazines, from around 2008.- What I meant was more… senseless stuff? Simple things that aren't that simple. You know, questions to get to know each other better, unimportant bits that would be nice or hilarious to know.

-... Like what?- Jasper questions, curious on where was this going, ever since their… kissing session Alice's been quite excited about lots of things, she would cuddle with him whenever she had the chance. Wrap her arms around him, card her fingers through his hair whenever he felt like sleeping.

Or scratch his back, that one he liked it a lot, it helped him relax, fall asleep quicker.

She's made him watch several movies these past days, those helped a lot with nurturing his knowledge on the things he still might not know about modern things.

It made him realize at times how much he still didn't knew about the world, he spent so much time locked in Volterra, just sneaking out to parks and libraries…

He's read thousands of books, and still, somehow, he had lots of things to learn.

-Well… like, what's the weirdest dream you've ever had?- Her question got Jasper frowning, confusion clear in his face.

-How is that somethin' you would wanna know? That's… there's nothin' you could possibly gain from knowin' that.- Alice grinned at that.

-Like I said, simple things that aren't that simple. Unimportant bits that would be nice or hilarious to know. So, what's the weirdest dream you've ever had? I would tell you mine, but well, you know why that wouldn't be possible.- Alice said, she felt curious over what kind of dreams he had had.

-That's… I don't really remember any of my dreams, and when I sleep now I don't really dream, so… 'm afraid I cannot answer that question either.- Jasper apologized, his memories from his human life at this point were blurs, nothing but smells, sounds and words connected to vague situations.

-Alright then, uhm, what's one of the most fun childhood memories you have?- Alice asked, choosing one of the questions from the magazine. Jasper frowned at that, seemed to be deep in thought for a moment before smiling.

-I remember one, uhm, when I was around 8, I think, I ate my grandmother's peach cobbler, the whole cobbler, that wouldn't sound so bad, if there hadn't been alcohol in it, like, a lot .

-Your grandmother made cobbler with alcohol?- Alice couldn't help but ask, bewildered over that fact. Jasper smirked.

-I'm pretty sure it was for my grandfather. I thought it tasted funny, but I didn't give it mind. I got drunk and I got onto a horse, our fastest horse as fate would have it, everyone was chasin' me and shoutin' at me, but at the time all I could think was that they were just racin' me.

Jasper shrugged, smirking at the amusement rolling off of Alice, she was grinning now.

-How did they get you off the horse?

-They didn't, I was told I fell off after tryin' to get it to jump the fence, split my chin open in the fall.- He said, pointing at a faint scar on his chin.- I don't remember much, but my sister said I was laughin' the whole time even though I was bleedin' all over and kept sayin' I was fine and askin' to ride the horse again.

Alice couldn't help but laugh at the mental image of a little Jasper all drunk, bleeding all over and asking for a horse, laughing while all the adults panicked. She wondered how he must have been as a child, an adorable troublemaker? A cute gentleman?

-What 'bout you? What's the wildest thing you've ever done?- Jasper questions, making sure to change the question just enough for Alice to be able to answer, he knew he couldn't ask her about her human life, she held no memories whatsoever of those.

She had told him what she knew, what she had found out about thanks to an encounter with a tracker by the name of James.

And some research she had made of her own.

He found it infuriating, the idea of her being subjected to electroshock therapy because she needed to be "fixed". It made him seethe and wish he could time travel, all so he could rip that bastard to shreds, how dare he hurt her? Anyone at all? Alice was one of the best people he's ever known.

The idea of her being in pain was enough to make his insides burn.

-The wildest?- Alice for her side repeated, not sure of what to answer to such question.

-Yes.

-Uhm… I once put a pink glitter bomb in Edward's car. You can still find lots of glitter under the seats and carpet even though he's deep cleaned it twice.

-A glitter bomb?- Jasper had no idea what a glitter bomb was, but he could get an idea on what it was based on the name, a bomb, made out of glitter, he could imagine the disaster that must have created.

-In my defense, he deserved it for being an hysterical fool. He should learn to give Bella her space and that she can very much protect herself.- Alice told as a statement of fact, smirking when her words got her a chuckle from Jasper, she loved hearing his laughter.

It filled her with fuzzy feelings, that of getting him to laugh, such a rich and beautiful sound.

-Now it's my turn, what type of music do you like?- She questioned, genuinely curious on what kind of music was he interested in, she's never seen him listening to music.

-... I think… country music? Though I do like rock, they use lots of guitars and it's quite… energetic, I like the electric guitars some use.- Jasper conceded, as a human he had loved playing the guitar, he had been quite great at it and many string instruments, alongside the piano.

But the electric guitar was something that captivated him, he loved the classic guitar, and the electricones would never replace it, but it ate him with curiosity on how would it feel like to play such a thing.

An electric guitar.

It made music sound so loud and wild and free. It filled him with dozens of indescribable emotions.

-Oh, I like rock too, it's so loud and wild, it feels like-

-Like someone's let music become a free spirit with no rules whatsoever?- Jasper asked, Alice's face lit up.

-Yes! It's so liberating! Though, never go to a concert, people bump on you all the time and they scream, a lot, plus, a vampire's sharp hearing isn't made to listen to rock in person.- Alice said, she had gone to a concert once, excited on how it would be like to listen to it on a live performance.

She hadn't been able to take the noise, the instruments, the voices, the screams, the heartbeats, the blood rushing, the smells, it had been too much to take.

And so she had left.

Jasper for his side couldn't help but think that she didn't had to give him such advice, someone like him was not fit for a crowd, much less in a noisy definitely not calm crowd, he would collapse, that if he didn't slaughter everyone on sight first.

-What's the weirdest thing in your closet?- He found himself asking, hoping that the question wouldn't come off as awkward, he was curious, she said she loved shopping, and making her own clothes, and just fashion in general.

So he was curious to know what could be the weirdest thing in her closet.

-A hotdog scarf.- Alice told without missing a beat.

Jasper stared at her.

She stared back at him.

-You serious?- He asked, her face telling him she was telling the truth, but how could that even be? Why would she have something like that? In what universe would she wear something like that? Or did he not know her as well as he had thought.

-Yes, it was a gift from Emmett, it's yellow, and it's also got little hamburger patterns. I find it hideous, but it's also hilarious, so it's been there for around five years now, my oldest piece of cloth so far.- Alice said, smirking at the look Jasper was giving her, as if he was still trying to figure whether she was pulling his leg or if she was telling the truth.

It was true, it had been one of Emmett's Christmas gifts for her, and while the scarf was hideous, as she told Jasper, it was hilarious, and also seriously fluffy, it was cute, in a bizarre way.

She still couldn't decipher if she liked it or not.

And since she couldn't ask Jasper what was the weirdest thing in his closet seeing that he didn't exactly had a closet…

-What's the most embarrassing thing you've ever done?- She went with instead, Jasper made a double take at the question before frowning and looking away.

-Why is that relevant?- Jasper questioned, definitely not liking the idea of having to tell Alice something embarrassing about himself, and God were there lots of those from his human life.

-If you tell me yours, I will tell you mine, remember, this is just mainly for fun, but if you don't want to answer then that's alright.- Alice told, giving him the option to not answer, she wanted to have fun with this, not make him uncomfortable.

He looked at her for a moment before seeming to come to terms with it and turn back to look at her. He picked at the loose string on his pants.

-When I was 12 there was this… girl; Angélica Fritzergarld.

-You liked her?

-No, we had more of a… rivalry going on, I'm not really sure why, I never did anythin' to her, she just spawned out of nowhere one day and began messin' with me. One day we'd a particularly bad argument, she pushed me, and I was in a bad mood…

This was possibly one of the most embarrassing if not shameful things he ever did as a human, since he was born.

-I hit her back.

He could feel the shame pooling inside him, he had been such a stupid idiot, so what if she had shoved him? A gentleman was never suppose to raise his hand to a lady, it wasn't right, only brutes and savages did that.

Being in a bad mood had been no excuse for his behavior. Such embarrassing behavior for someone who was meant to be a gentleman .

-We got into a fight, a physical fight, she was stronger than me, and taller, so she was the one who had the upper hand, at some point I got the upper hand, but when I did she kicked me on the stomach so hard that I ended up throwin' up infront of the whole school.

A seal to end his most embarrassing and shameful moment of fighting with a girl, she had beat his ass infront of the entire school and made him make a fool of himself.

His grandfather had said that that had been lesson enough for him, his father hadn't agreed, and God if he hadn't made sure to re-teach him some manners.

He can still remember his sore ear as he was dragged by it, burning muscles as he was made to work at the field without rest. Get the water from the river with no horses or carriage to help either.

Still.

He didn't expect to feel her sympathy, her hand resting on his knee.

-I'm sorry.- Alice found herself saying, what he was saying sounded terrible, it didn't sound like something embarrassing that he did but more like a public humiliation. He said so himself, the girl started it by shoving him, but she had the feeling that considering how… old school he was, at his eyes defending himself had been a terrible thing to do.

Some people might even seen it as such, because that was it, right? A girl could hit a boy, but the boy couldn't hit back, that somehow was wrong, Alice had never managed to quite grasp how that worked.

People just shouldn't hit each other, plain and simple, she wasn't sure what to think of the look Jasper was giving her though, as if he had no idea whatsoever over why was she apologizing to him.

She wished she could explain to him several things, but at the same time she had a feeling that would be like talking to a wall, at least she could rest assured he would never be hurt, she would never lay finger on him, and anyone who did it…

Well, if Jasper thought he was the protector in the relationship he would be quite disappointed to know Alice could be just as fierce, she would protect him with her all and rip apart whoever dared to touch him.

-What about yours? What's the most embarrassin' thing you've ever done?- Jasper's sudden voice caught her attention, he was giving her a curious look now.

-Mine?

-Yes, you said you would tell me yours if I told you mine. A deal's a deal.- Jasper said, leaning too close for comfort, eyes all too intense.

Alice cleared her throat, leaning back, focus, she couldn't let him distract her, he's gotten quite amazing at that.

-Well, mine's… I once got a vision of Carlisle and Esme doing… you know.- Alice muttered, quite glad she wasn't human for her face would be burning, that vision still haunted her up to this day, she had buried it deep down to never see the light again.

She remembers being unable to look at Esme and Carlisle in the eye for a whole month, Emmett had laughed his ass off when he first found out.

Jasper for his side couldn't help the snort that escaped him, which was followed right after by terribly stuffed laughter, because suddenly having such unpredictable gift as that of clairvoyance was so not convenient, Alice had said Carlisle and Esme were like her parents, he couldn't imagine how terrible it had to be to get such a vision from your parents.

The trauma.

That was rich.

-It's not funny.- Alice protested, but even if she said that she was smiling, completely and pleasantly surprised by Jasper's unexpected reaction.

She made him laugh.

-'m sorry, it totally isn't.- Jasper conceded, fighting to keep his face serious, he failed.

Miserably so.

-That's not even that funny!- Alice said, he had the exact same sense of humor as Emmett if that was enough to get him to laugh like that. So immature.

But he had adorable dimples and he looked cute when he was laughing at something so trivial, so she guessed she could overlook that.

It took quite a moment before Jasper could compose himself, to Alice's amusement.

-Better?- She asked, raising an eyebrow at him. He grinned.

-Yeah, better.

-Good, now, uhm, what was your favorite food of all time when you were human?- Alice asked, reading through the questions to see which one to choose this time around. Jasper frowned.

-That's not fair, how can I possibly ask a question similar to that for you?- Jasper found himself protesting against his better judgement, he found this… game, rather odd.

But at the same time it was somewhat interesting. He got to ask her simple questions.

-You don't need to ask me exactly everything I ask you, you can ask me anything you want, whatever comes to your mind.- Alice explained, she knew there were questions she couldn't answer because of her memory issues from when she was human, so she let him decide.

Plus, it wasn't only her, she didn't want this game to focus solely on what she asked him, she wanted him to ask anything, he could be curious too, she wouldn't mind.

-... Alright then… I liked peaches, no, I was obsessed with peaches, and whatever came from it, pie, cobbler, jam, cake, you name it. At times I would eat it until I got sick, but that never stopped me from eatin' more next time I got the chance.

-Like a cat.- Alice chuckled, the comparison getting her a funny look.- How did peaches taste like?- She wondered, curious.

-Sweet, refreshin'. Peach jam was specially great during the summer.- Jasper might not remember much, but he did remember the sweet and wonderful feeling of eating some peach jam with bread after playing at the creek all day.

That was one of his favorite memories, it was a blur of echoing laughter, light feelings and splashing water.

A time when life was much more simpler.

-What's your favorite season of the year?- He finds himself asking, taking on Alice's words of asking her whatever he wanted. Trivial questions, he could do that while also gaining insight on what she liked.

-Spring! I love flowers, it's particularly pretty when the snow starts melting, you get to see the flowers blooming, the animals waking up from hibernation, the butterflies, the bees, the birds, there's so many colors and so many happy sounds, like an explosion of life after a dark period. I mean, I love winter, don't get me wrong, you get Christmas and snowball fights, but I love spring even more.

Jasper couldn't help but smile as he heard Alice go on about the reason spring was her most favorite season, her smile, those bubbling emotions, the way her eyes sparkled, it filled him with so many fuzzy feelings, butterflies.

She looked absolutely hypnotizing when she spoke about what she loved, and he could do nothing but stare.

The sudden fingers snapping before him caught his attention and he blinked, meeting Alice's gaze.

She was smirking, happiness and hints of amusement in her emotions.

-What was your first kiss like?- Her question caught him off guard, his first kiss? How could that possibly be relevant or even worth knowing? But he could feel her curiosity, unwavering.

What woman would like to know that kind of knowledge regarding the person they liked? He's been around long enough to know women either got mad at that concept or just plain out uncomfortable. He couldn't understand the reason though, why ask for something that will gain negative reaction?

But Alice didn't seem like that kind of person.

Thus.

He answered.

-It was… plain.- He conceded, not sure how else to answer. Alice frowned, confusion spiking in her emotions.

-Plain? How so?

-It was with one of my sister's friends; Ophelia, she was two years older than me, and she was gonna move to Europe with her father, she confessed to me and asked if she could kiss me, she was pretty and I was quite curious about how it would be like to kiss someone, so I let her…

Jasper shrugged, Ophelia had been one of his sisters' prettiest friends, with her red curls and the pretty freckles, lots of boys would talk about her at school, but he never quite understood what was the big deal on her being pretty.

One of his brothers had even had a crush on her, reason he never told a soul about his kiss with Ophelia, the last thing he had wanted was to upset his brother if he were to find out the girl he liked had confessed to Jasper instead.

-It didn't felt particularly special nor anythin', it gave me the same feelin' I would get by a kiss on the cheek. Like being kissed by a friend, just on the mouth.- He told before smirking.- Now, if you're curious on who did I kiss that made me see "fireworks" as people would say…

His gaze drifted to her lips for a fleeting moment before he was meeting her gaze.

-You're the fireworks.- He said, grinning when she chuckled at the definitely cheesy comment.

-That's so corny.

-I know.- He scooted forward, bringing his arms around her shoulders before pulling them both down on the bed, landing both on their side, Alice's chuckle wafting across the room.

-What are you doing?

-You said before I could kiss you whenever I wanted, that I didn't had to ask everytime. Well, I want to kiss you now.- Jasper told as a statement of fact, and to make his point clear he took the liberty to pepper Alice's cheek with multiple, playful kisses, prompting her to release the magazine as her bubbly laughter erupted, bathing the room with refreshing chiming bells, making Jasper grin.

-Where did this even come from?- Alice asked, unable to refrain her giggles over the unexpected situation she found herself in, she had no idea where did this come from, but she wasn't complaining.

-Nowhere, can't I just kiss you?- He questioned, genuinely curious as he leaned back, just enough to look her in the eye.

Alice held his gaze, just for a moment, just to make it a bit dramatic before grinning and twisting around in his hold so she could face him, her arm drapping over his waist, their legs intertwined, she pressed a fleeting kiss on his chin.

-Yeah, I guess you can, but then that would imply I can do the same.- Alice said, the mischief in her emotions wasn't enough to prepare Jasper for the sudden position he found himself in.

With Alice pinning him down and kissing his face, her fingers holding his wrists prisoner, her amusement, love and playfulness crushing down any sliver of anxiety he might have felt over being pinned down.

And still.

He broke free from her hands, reaching out to dig his fingers into her ribs, her surprise flared in the air alongside her yelp, and he took advantage of her momentary distraction to switch their position, straddling her against the bed.

-Don't you dar-eek-!- Alice's words cut off as Jasper assaulted her ribs again, prompting her to stiffle a giggle as she tried and failed to wiggle away.- Stop that, I'm serious Jasper Whitlock.- She warned, her serious face disappearing as he attacked her ribs again, eliciting a badly concealed giggle from her.

-Make me.- He dared, and this time he aimed for her armpits, making her arch her back with a shriek under the unexpected attack.

And this time around she was unable to hold back the giggle that came out, her hands reaching out grab his arms in a failed attempt to gain some ground, but not even that deterred him, and the feeling she tried so hard to fight back kept rising and rising the more she felt his fingers travel around.

She couldn't help it.

At the end that pressure in her chest came undone, laughter bursting out as she began writhing beneath him, failed attempts to escape the terrible yet admittedly enjoyable torture.

He was relentless, showering her in kisses, at the corners of her lips, her cheeks, her jaw, her forehead, her neck, even the corners of her shut eyes.

And while she knew she could have gotten him to stop if she actually used a displeased negative she didn't, because she was truly enjoying this unusual behavior of his.

He's never been this playful before, and Alice's loving every second of it.

Meanwhile, Jasper couldn't help but grin as Alice's refreshing laughter filled the room, her emotions caressing his skin like an overwhelming explosion of absolute joy and fuzziness, he's never heard her laugh with this kind of freedom and he's finding it quite captivating.

Her laughter was high in pitch, but not in an irritating way, more like pleasant chiming bells, heartily, with the occasional giggle here and there, it was the most beautiful sound he's ever heard in his entire life, and he found himself unable to stop smiling.

Because if the sound alone was like the most gorgeous of lullabies from Heaven, the sight was breathtaking.

The way Alice's eyes were squeezed shut, nose crinkled and mouth upturned into a toothy smile… she was the most beautiful thing in the world.

Like an angel.

He couldn't bite back the yelp when he felt her fight back, her fingers assaulting his ribs, masterfully avoiding any of his injuries as she did.

And against any prognostic or anything Jasper could have ever expected about this situation, which he had no idea how he ended up at, a tickling war of all things possible broke out, their laughter filling the room as they wrestled on the bed, both refusing to give up.

And considering vampires didn't need to breathe nor could feel pain easily… their war lasted quite a while.

That until Alice made a motion of slowing down, an infectious smile on her face, her emotions tickling his skin as she brought her face towards him, pressing a playful kiss on his lips, Jasper lowered his hands to rest on her waist as he leaned into the kiss.

Alice pulled back to look at Jasper, her hand coming up to touch his face, nothing but a fluttering touch across the scars on his jaw, his eyes were sparkling, an unfamiliar yet beautiful kind of sparkle, and he was smiling, prompting her to run her thumb over that little dimple.

It filled her with so many feelings, how far they have come in nothing but five months, humans would find it impossible, rushed, stupid, but that was the magic of soulmates, two souls that fit so beautifully they could easily coexist with each other.

She traced the scars across his jaw, cherishing this moment, that sparkle in his gaze, so soft… he looked much more calm than she ever remembers seeing him, as if all his demons had completely disappeared, it was a beautiful sight on him.

His hand came up to rest on top of hers, gentle.

-You're so beautiful.- Came his soft whisper, had Alice been human her face would have burned and her heart would have jolted over the unexpected compliment, such soft tone, and she could feel that warmth spreading across her skin, a warmth she's coming to learn comes from when he draps his love over her.

It's so overwhelming she can do nothing but smile, God, she didn't think she would ever get used to this, to feel his love, to hear those compliments that come out of absolutely nowhere, with no reason whatsoever, he just says them when he feels like it.

And it never fails to catch Alice off guard, never knowing how to react to his words.

She gives him an Eskimo kiss, snuggling closer to him and grinning as she feels his arms around her waist, a kiss pressing against her jaw as he pulls her impossibly closer.

-You're quite beautiful yourself too, mister.- She tells, chuckling when he rolls them both on the bed, ending up with her laying on top of him, she doesn't fight it, she's grown to realize he seems to find comfort in this position, she always makes sure to not put too much pressure on his wounds.

She does rest her head on his chest, allowing herself to relax a bit, fingers fiddling with the horseshoe on the bronze chain.

She wished this moment could last forever, this calm… but she had the feeling their peace would end soon.

~

Italy, Volterra. -

-You should beware, he knows something is off. He doesn't know what, but he knows something is off.- Marcus' sudden voice made Alec flinch and almost fall from where he was climbing out of the vent. Where the hell had he come from?

Marcus could be much more stealthy than any vampire Alec's ever known.

Still.

His words…

-I don't know what's that suppose to mean.- He said as a statement of fact, though even if he said that he had a bad feeling, much more so because Aro's been… not in a good mood ever since Alec mutilated Demetri's arm.

But he could care less, Demetri was not pleased, and the man had of course sworn revenge upon him, he didn't say it out loud, but Alec had met his gaze, that had been a look of pure rage and promises for pain beyond his imagination.

Well, Alec refused to let himself be intimidated, he would take whatever Demetri had in store for him with his head held high.

And he would return it back to him a hundred times worse.

-Yes, you do, time's running short. Decide before he knows.

And with that the man is gone, leaving Alec confused and somewhat nervous, what if Marcus was right? What if Aro was starting to suspect something was wrong? Why did Marcus even warn him? What did he know? Why care? He hadn't done anything in centuries on his own volition, why now? Did Aro suspect something and was testing Alec?

But how would he suspect? Alec had done nothing to give himself away. Or maybe he was overthinking?

But then why did Marcus say that? What wasn't he seeing?