Chapter Eight – First Impressions… Home at Last

Redlining the vehicle the whole way, it took Alice and Jasper just over an hour to drive from the Adirondacks to Hanover, New Hampshire, where the Cullens were staying. It was a small college town, surrounded by plenty of forest, and Alice drove to the out-of-the-way, private drive without erring.

It had taken them much less time to get there than Jasper was ready for, and he was growing more nervous by the minute. Logically, he shouldn't have. He trusted Alice's visions and knew they would all end up one big happy family, but it was so contrary to what he'd been taught - what he'd experienced - that he couldn't stop himself.

Once they hit the private drive, there was no waiting. The Cullens would surely have heard their approach.

"Edward and Emmett are away for the weekend – hunting," Alice said with a smile. Jasper just nodded. She laughed lightly and touched the side of his face. "Relax."

The house was a large, two-story, brick Tudor. It was larger, and certainly nicer, than any house in which Jasper had previously lived, and he couldn't help but be both impressed and intimidated. Wealth was synonymous with power and influence, and Jasper had seldom seen either used kindly.

As they approached the front of the house, they could see Carlisle, Esme, and Rosalie standing on the front stoop – Carlisle a few feet ahead. Jasper could feel the nervousness radiating off each of them. They would have realized by now that no heartbeats accompanied the sound of the approaching car. When they were close enough that they could clearly be seen through the windshield, Jasper felt the tension sky rocket. He knew immediately they assumed the worst, having gotten a good look at his scarred appearance.

Esme stepped closer to Carlisle, whether in response to her own fear or out of protectiveness for her mate, Jasper wasn't sure. Carlisle reached back with his hand to grasp hers, though, to his credit, that was his only outward sign of fear or concern. Rosalie, on the other hand, dropped into a defensive stance and Jasper could hear her hiss over the car's engine. Jasper, in turn, reacted out of habit and blanketed everyone in calm. It must have been at least somewhat effective because Rosalie stood upright again.

Jasper reached for Alice's hand. He was amazed that she was completely nonplussed by the obvious signs of fear and danger, empathy aside. In fact, she was practically bursting with excitement. She smiled at him as she cut the engine, then stepped out of the car. Jasper moved much more slowly, partly out of respect for the Cullens – not wanting to move too quickly and be seen as a threat.

Once out of the vehicle, Jasper's eyes locked with Carlisle's, who was obviously measuring him up. Alice waited for Jasper at the front of the car, then the two moved closer to the Cullens. Before Jasper knew what was happening, Alice suddenly swept past him.

"Alice," he whispered urgently, but by the time he reached out his hand to grab her, she had already leapt the five stairs to the stoop and had her small arms wrapped solidly around a very surprised Carlisle.

Carlisle froze, his arms out to the side as if he'd started to hug her, but never finished.

"Hello, Carlisle," Alice said, her voice full of happiness, relief, and a bit of awe. She quickly released Carlisle and spun around him to wrap Esme in an equally loving embrace. "Mmm, Esme." Alice was grinning from ear to ear.

The Cullens had not attacked Alice despite her forwardness, and Jasper relaxed enough that his arm fell back to his side. He could easily pick up the confusion from the others, but there was a hint of amusement coming from Carlisle. The women seemed too shocked to know how to feel about this strange little creature.

After releasing Esme, Alice leapt over to Rosalie. She started to reach toward her, to pull her into a hug as well, but something on Rosalie's face warned her not to. "Rosalie," Alice said, still smiling broadly and not at all put off by Rose's wariness. "You're even more beautiful in person." Alice reached out and touched a lock of Rosalie's hair that had fallen over her shoulder. "I can't wait to do your hair. I can't do anything with mine," Alice pulled on one of her short locks, emphasizing her point. Then she looped her arm through Rose's and led her through the door, ignoring the looks she was garnering.

Rose looked bewildered and glanced at Carlisle, as if to ask whether it was safe to go with the crazy lady. Carlisle shrugged and nodded. Jasper was even sure he'd heard Carlisle chuckle.

Once Rose and Alice were through the front door, Carlisle turned his attention back to Jasper.

"Sorry about that," Jasper said shyly. "She's just very excited."

"Indeed," Carlisle replied. He still wasn't sure what to make of the man standing before him and Jasper could feel his uncertainty, but then he extended his hand in greeting. "I'm Carlisle Cullen," he said, despite the obviousness of the statement. But it was a formal welcome and Jasper accepted, shaking the older vampire's hand.

"This," Carlisle turned his body to allow Esme to step forward, "is Esme Cullen – my wife." Jasper nodded and shook her hand as well. Carlisle then gestured toward the door. "And that was Rosalie. But… you seem to already know that."

"I'm Jasper Whitlock," Jasper replied, finishing the formal introductions before touching on Carlisle's last comment. He nodded toward the door. "And that was my wife, Alice," he grinned and the tenderness of his feelings for her shone clearly in his eyes.

"Won't you come in?" Carlisle asked.

"Thank you," Jasper replied and followed Carlisle and Esme into the house. The front door opened into a long wood-paneled hall, broken only by a pocket door on either side. The doors were open, and Jasper could clearly see a large library on the left, with a fireplace, reading chairs, a chaise, and grand piano. On the right was a formal living room, and it was into this room that Carlisle led Jasper.

The house was beautifully decorated with dark wood and solid-looking furniture, much of it antique. There were several oil paintings adorning the walls, at least one Jasper was pretty sure he'd seen a printed copy of in some book he'd read in the past. "You have a lovely home, ma'am." Jasper directed his compliment toward Esme.

"Thank you," she said with a smile, and Jasper could feel the pride and pleasure radiating from her. He smiled back.

When he turned his attention back to Carlisle, he noticed Carlisle was watching him closely.

"It's not often," Carlisle said, "that we meet others with the same… diet."

"No, I wouldn't think so," Jasper said. He was still debating how to explain everything and how much to mention. He decided that telling them everything was probably best. They would find out eventually, especially when Edward arrived. Without thinking, Jasper glanced around and asked out of curiosity, "Where are Edward and Emmett?"

Carlisle's eyebrows shot up in surprise. There was some suspicion in his emotions as he glanced at his wife. She was just as confused, and worried, probably wondering how this couple knew so much about them.

"I'm sorry," Jasper said. "Perhaps I should explain. Alice…" He knew they would be family, but his protective instincts made it very hard for him to reveal everything so quickly to people who were still strangers to him, despite his wife's best efforts to familiarize him with them. "Alice can see the future."

"Really?" Carlisle asked, genuine curiosity pushing its way to the fore of his emotions. "What can she see?"

Jasper smiled in recollection of his first conversation with Alice about this very topic. It sounded similar, too. "She can see almost anything depending on imminence and decisions that are made. She sees outcomes."

"So… It's based on statistical probability," Carlisle asked, trying to understand what Jasper meant.

"Mm… yes and no. If a person believes he has two paths to take, she can see the outcome of both choices. But once the decision is made, she can only see that future, not any other."

"And… if there are more than two choices, she can't see the outcome of those because the individual isn't considering those. And once a decision has been made, the future set in motion so to speak, the other options are wiped away."

"Yes. Unless or until that person changes his mind."

"Intriguing." Carlisle's brow creased in concentration. "And, I take it, she saw us."

"Yes," Jasper replied.

"To what end?" Carlisle asked.

Jasper shifted uncomfortably. "She saw us… becoming part of your family."

Carlisle's eyebrows raised again and he looked over at Esme. As if on cue, they could hear Alice and Rosalie laughing together and this, more than anything, affected Esme. She smiled, first at Carlisle, then at Jasper.

"You're welcome to stay. If you bring in your things, we'll find a room for you," Esme offered.

"No need," Alice skipped into the room. Rosalie, grinning, walked in behind her. "I've already picked one."

"Alice," Jasper warned. He could sense her scheming.

Alice kissed Jasper's cheek innocently. "Bring our things in, please. Rose and I will be… redecorating." She smirked at Rose, who hadn't stopped smiling, and the two left the room again.

"Oh dear," Esme muttered. She followed the girls to see what they were up to, while Carlisle went with Jasper to the car to get their belongings.

"Have you and Alice always been together?" he asked.

"You mean did I turn her or did she turn me?" Jasper clarified, and Carlisle nodded. "No."

"How did you meet, then?"

"We met in a diner in Philadelphia. I was… wandering and she… She was waiting for me." Jasper smiled his shy smile.

Carlisle smiled in response. It was easy to see Jasper's love for Alice in the way he talked about her and how his face softened when he thought of her. "Why were you alone?"

A frown flickered across Jasper's face as he thought of those days. It seemed his life history had become divided. There was his life before Alice, and his life after Alice. When he thought of the former, he couldn't help but feel pain. When he thought of the latter, he couldn't help but smile. "I had… left my former coven and was wandering."

Carlisle was not insensitive to the emotions that played across Jasper's face. He knew this was a topic that was causing the younger vampire discomfort, but there were things he had to know if they were going to stay. It would all come to light eventually, but he'd rather Jasper share the information voluntarily than have Edward learn it by accident. "Why did you leave?" he asked gently.

Jasper leaned against the trunk of the car and stared at the ground, trying to find words and the calm to say them evenly. "I couldn't take that life any more."

"Feeding on humans?" Carlisle asked.

Jasper tilted his head to the side – a half nod, half shake. "Yes and no. I… There was…" Jasper took a deep breath, still deciding how much he wanted to share. "I'm from the south."

He paused and before he could say more, Carlisle placed a hand on his shoulder. "That's a hard way to start this life."

It was Jasper's turn to be surprised. Most vampires feared him, especially when they knew his history. All he felt from Carlisle was pity and compassion. The pity he didn't want, but the compassion was almost overwhelming. Jasper stood and moved away from Carlisle. He covered his 'escape' by opening the trunk. He didn't want to offend Carlisle, but he had to break the physical contact.

"Mm," Jasper intoned, agreeing with Carlisle's assessment. "But that wasn't really all of it. If I hadn't… I'm… an empath. If I wasn't, I'd probably still be there, to be honest. But…" Jasper shook his head. How do you explain to someone who's never been an empath what it feels like to feel everything. Again Jasper was surprised to feel the compassion from the other man.

"My son, Edward… well, you probably already know, but he can read minds," Carlisle said kindly. Jasper did know, but had forgotten. He suddenly realized Carlisle might actually have some clue what life was like for him – not from first hand experience, but because of his son. "It's not something he can control. He can't block out other people's thoughts entirely, though he has learned to… tune them out, like voices in a crowded room. It's quite useful sometimes. It's helped us on more than one occasion. But it's also a burden for him. He is privy to thoughts and information that he would never want to know. He's seen things through the eyes of others that no one should have to witness." Carlisle snorted sardonically. "Vampires aren't the only monsters out there."

Jasper nodded his understanding. He didn't envy Edward's gift at all. In some ways, it was better than his own; in others, far worse.

"So you left the south," Carlisle brought the conversation back on track. "But you still had to feed on humans."

Jasper nodded. "Yes. And then I met Alice."

Carlisle could see, instantly, his entire demeanor change.

"She was joy and light… And to make things even better, she told me that I didn't have to feed on humans anymore… She's been a godsend."

"And she was alone?" Carlisle asked.

"Yes," Jasper nodded. "She's pretty much always been alone."

"Why? What happened to her sire?"

"She doesn't know. She doesn't remember him – or anything before awakening."

Carlisle stared in shock at Jasper. What maniac would sire a vampire and then leave the newborn defenseless and volatile? And how had she not gone insane from uncontrolled bloodlust nor drawn the attention of the Volturi? "How did she survive?"

"Her visions. She saw me and you – all of you. That gave her focus and guidance. And hope."

Carlisle shook his head in wonder. "She is a remarkable creature."

Jasper smiled. "She truly is."

- - - - -

Over the next two days, Alice and Jasper became well acquainted with the new house, the surrounding area, and the family. Carlisle was genuinely caring and compassionate. Jasper recalled Alice's visions that indicated his character, but to be on the receiving end of the compassion, to feel how strong it was even toward others, was nothing like what he'd expected. Jasper cared about the people he killed mostly because of how it affected him. Carlisle actually cared about people. He truly didn't see them as food, nor as the inevitable diet of their species. It was tempered with realism and the desire to protect his family, so Carlisle would never suddenly decide to play the part of a superhero to save them, but that was why being a doctor suited him so well. He did get the opportunity to save lives and his vampiric traits aided in that feat, so it was enough for him.

Esme was every bit a mother. Her love was unconditional and her concern for others, especially her family, allowed her to sacrifice without thought of the cost. She wanted her children to have the best of everything and be truly happy, and she was willing to give up whatever it took to make that happen. She formed quick attachments to both Alice and Jasper, probably because of their more colorful past. She was one of those women who believed if you simply loved enough, you could change a person. It was probably why she had stayed so long with her husband when she was human. Her love for her children was only outshone by her love and admiration for Carlisle.

Rosalie was a little harder to figure out. She was such a contrast to Carlisle and Esme in that almost everything she did was motivated by selfishness and vanity. All of her emotions had a sharp edge to them, no matter what it was. But Jasper soon learned that even her bonds were stronger than they first seemed. She so fiercely admired Carlisle (and hated being a vampire) that she took great pride in her "record" of never having fed on a human. She was grateful for the parents she had, recognizing that most vampires were nomads and had little by way of material things. She loved Edward like any sister loved her brother, which meant sometimes she hated him, but she never considered leaving the family. Her love for Emmett was the least constricted by self. Her initial attraction for him had been because of his resemblance to the baby she'd always wanted, but in carrying him all those miles while he bled, a bond had been forged between them and his was the love she'd protect the most fiercely. That was why, though she'd quickly accepted Alice, she still had a hard time accepting Jasper, as if on some intuitive level, she knew he'd be the one most likely to upset their way of life.

Jasper wondered about this, wondered if it was something she'd eventually get over. After all, Alice had always indicated they'd received total acceptance. But then he realized, Alice couldn't feel emotions or read minds, so she would not necessarily recognize what she didn't want to see; that it might not be so easy to just step into the family.

As the weekend came to a close, Carlisle offered to take Jasper hunting. He had to work Sunday night in the clinic and, while Jasper knew he wasn't truly concerned, Carlisle had stated he should probably hunt for safety's sake. While Carlisle and Jasper were hunting, the ladies went shopping in Hanover. Everyone was back home by mid-afternoon.

Alice and Rose were in Rosalie's room discussing fashion, hair-styles, and other things in which Jasper had no interest, so he turned his attention to the books in Carlisle's study. The volumes ranged from theology to philosophy to classic literature. There was a section on architecture, medical and scientific journals, mechanical engineering, and history, not to mention the shelf that contained books designed to teach various languages. Jasper was already fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, and he knew enough French to get by. He pulled down the Latin volume and settled in.

Less than an hour later, Jasper felt an unexplained nudging of worry. There was a protective edge to it and he looked up, wondering from where it was coming. Carlisle and Esme were with Jasper in the library, both engrossed in their own activities. Jasper frowned slightly and rose, heading toward a window. Rosalie and Alice entered the library, having finished whatever they were doing, but Jasper kept his back to the room as he scanned the surrounding area – as much as he could see from this window.

Carlisle and Esme were amused about something, and he heard Carlisle say conversationally, "The boys should be back soon."

Ah. "They're here," Jasper said, half to himself. He was sure it was Edward and Emmett he was feeling. Edward would know that he and Alice were there, being able to hear their thoughts, which was why Edward was worried. Jasper stepped away from the window, not wanting Edward to physically see him while he was still a ways off, knowing that that would only heighten Edward's concern. He felt confusion and curiosity then and realized Edward was probably monitoring his thoughts closely to assess the threat level. We're not here to hurt anyone, Jasper assured Edward. The wariness remained, but the curiosity on Edward's part was growing.

Jasper turned his attention to the others in the room. Much to his discomfort, they were all watching him. "They'll be here soon," he said, hoping that their attention would shift to the incoming family members and off him.

Rosalie's attention turned immediately, and she sat still as a statue in anticipation. It sent tingles through Jasper which, while not entirely unpleasant, were uncomfortable, so he tried to focus an Alice. She was eagerly waiting to meet Edward and Emmett, and he could feel her excitement. She met his gaze, and they stood, staring at each other, Jasper absorbing her feelings and letting them sooth his nervousness. Emmett was laid back, easy going, and he knew acceptance would come easily from him. Of all the vampires in the family, the one he was most concerned with meeting was Edward. Edward could read minds, which meant he was the only one Jasper could not hide anything from. Alice had never made him feel ashamed of anything. She only accepted and loved him despite everything. He wasn't so sure he could escape this particular consequence of his past, his actions, and his thoughts with Edward. After all, there were things he really should feel shame about. If Alice only knew half the thoughts that went through his head as he wandered through town…

Jasper refocused on Alice's positive emotions and her excitement in preparation of meeting the remaining two Cullens.

Alice released a quick breath and nodded. Perfectly on cue, the front door of the house opened. "Hello!" came Emmett's booming voice, before either he or Edward were visible to those in the library. Edward must have told Emmett what Jasper had thought because there was no concern coming from him at all, simply curiosity.

Rose leapt off her seat and walked as quickly as was vampirically possible into the hall to meet Emmett.

"Guys," came Edward's annoyed voice, also still in the hall. "Please! We just got home."

Jasper had to agree. The spike in lust was intrusive, but he found he was fighting back the laughter. He couldn't help but be, sympathetically, amused by Edward's reaction. At the same time, the nervousness was back. Jasper felt that Edward's acceptance was imperative, at least for him.

Rose must have said or done something, because Emmett whispered, "But I want to meet them first." There was some noise from Rose, to which Emmett replied, "Just five minutes… Two! Two minutes."

Edward appeared in the door of the library, shaking his head in disgust. He barely stepped foot into the library when his arms were suddenly full of Alice.

"Edward!" Alice squealed.

Jasper hated when Alice launched herself at other vampires. It sent a shock of fear through him each time. Years of experience told him that was the fastest way to get yourself killed and he had yet to shake that instinct. But he also couldn't help a small smile at Alice's joy and excitement, and even Edward's confusion.

Edward was stunned silent for a moment, though he hugged her back, a crooked smile making its way onto his face. Then he looked at Jasper. He saw Edward tense, a fairly mild response to Jasper's appearance.

Jasper made his way to Edward and held out his hand. "Jasper." Nodding to his wife, he said, "Alice."

"As if he doesn't already know," Alice said teasingly. Then she added, "Emmett, don't make your wife wait. We'll be here later."

Edward rolled his eyes and tsked. "You really shouldn't encourage them."

Emmett laughed heartily in response to Alice and Edward. There was a playful growl and a squeal from Rose. Emmett's head appeared at the side of the doorframe, where he grinned heartily, taking in the appearance of the two newcomers, before he was pulled rapidly away. His hand waved briefly where his head had just been and then that too disappeared, followed by the sound of feet running up the stairs.

Edward closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "As if the trip home wasn't bad enough."

"At least this way, they'll get it out of their system," Carlisle laughed.

"Wow," Jasper said. Are they like that often? he asked Edward.

"Yes," Edward said in an exasperated tone.

How do you stand it?

"I read. A lot," Edward said, only momentarily confused.

A repetitive banging started on one of the walls upstairs, just one of the many sounds emanating from the second story bedroom, and Esme looked up at the ceiling. "He also plays piano, too" she said, more than a hint of a request in her statement.

Edward didn't need to be asked. He moved quickly to the piano and began to play.

This was a very new experience for Jasper. Sure vampires had sex in Mexicali, but he'd always been able to escape. Right now, there was nowhere else to go, and he figured he couldn't run through the woods every time one of the two other couples got intimate.

"Tempting, though," Edward said quietly, intruding on his thoughts.

Jasper tried to focus on the music, but that barely blocked out the noises and did nothing to block out the feelings. He tried focusing on Alice, but that had a very different effect and he felt weird about it.

Edward cleared his throat. "So do you mind if I ask what's going on?" he asked over his shoulder as he continued to play. There was both annoyance and curiosity in Edward's tone.

"Edward," Esme chastised quietly.

"Jasper and Alice have come to live with us," Carlisle supplied.

Edward frowned. "Why? I mean… not to sound unwelcoming, but how did you find us?"

Jasper looked at Alice. He'd never understood why she'd had visions of him or the Cullens in the first place. No conscious decision had been made by any of them to get together. Alice was the only connection and she hadn't decided to find them until she'd seen them in a vision. It was the chicken and the egg conundrum, but with time and decisions.

Alice shrugged her shoulders. "I've seen you for a long time and saw that we would be family. Now we're here."

Edward turned from the piano, to face the room. "You have visions of the future," he said to Alice. "And you," he looked at Jasper, "can feel other people's emotions…" Edward squinted, having picked up on more. "You can control them, too."

Carlisle, who had been feigning disinterest until now, looked up from his book. This was the first he'd heard of this.

"Yes." Jasper glanced at Carlisle.

"When you first arrived," Carlisle said. "That calm. That was you?"

"Yes. I'm sorry," Jasper apologized. Many people didn't like when their emotions were altered against their will, even if it was to their benefit. "It was an automatic reaction; not an attempt to manipulate."

"I believe you," Carlisle assured him.

"Have you done it often?" Edward asked, then almost immediately tensed and hissed, startling both Carlisle and Esme.

It wasn't intentional, but Edward's question opened a floodgate of memories, and Jasper tried to stem the flow as soon as it started.

"Edward?" Esme asked concernedly.

"Sorry," Edward apologized, much to Jasper's surprise. "I just… wasn't prepared for that." He glanced at Esme, "Just memories."

Jasper was surprised by the lack of judgment from Edward.

"It would be somewhat… hypocritical of me to condemn you for anything," Edward stated and Jasper could feel the shame he thought he'd surely be experiencing himself, burn within Edward, but he didn't ask for an explanation. Edward sighed. "I'll tell you about it one day."

Alice was watching the exchange between Edward and Jasper, her eyes moving from one to the other like a spectator at a tennis match. All the while, her smile was widening. She had, in all honesty, been somewhat concerned about Edward's initial reaction to Jasper, mostly because he was the brother she would end up being closest too, and she needed her mate and her brother to get along. Emmett, she knew, would not be a problem, but Edward was always more… complicated.

Both Jasper and Edward looked at her at the same time, Jasper drawn by her joy, Edward drawn by both her and Jasper's thoughts.

"A telepath, an empath, and a seer," Carlisle said. He turned to Esme. "Things could get interesting." Laughter permeated the study.

Twenty minutes later, Emmett and Rose entered the library, where Emmett was formerly introduced to Jasper and Alice. Emmett openly appraised Jasper, though Jasper didn't feel any hostility from him.

"You'd be surprised," Edward said, and Jasper had no idea what he meant.

Emmett raised an eyebrow and glanced at Edward, who just chuckled and shook his head. "Ask him."

Emmett turned back to Jasper. "Do you wrestle?"

Rose groaned, but Jasper could feel her pride. Esme was concerned; Carlisle more so.

"Emmett," Carlisle warned. "You really don't know what you're asking."

Far from dissuading Emmett, this only increased his excitement and he re-appraised Jasper. "I… no, not really," Jasper frowned. He'd never fought someone without the intent to kill him, and he didn't think that would be the best way to ingratiate himself with the family.

Emmett seemed confused by his statement, probably because of the warning from Carlisle and Edward's initial response to his thoughts. "You don't know how or… you're afraid of losing?"

Edward coughed, which Jasper was really sure was a cover for a laugh. Jasper tilted his head to the side, trying to determine if Emmett was insane or just stupid, unless he was really as good at fighting as he seemed to think he was. Emmett was certainly large and imposing, but Jasper knew that meant he'd be slower and he certainly didn't have the years of training Jasper had. "No," Jasper said slowly. "I'm not afraid."

"Emmett," Carlisle warned again.

"Come on," Emmett said. "Edward cheats…"

"I do not cheat! I can't help if you practically shout all your moves at me before you make them," Edward snapped at Emmett.

Emmett continued, nonplussed. "Edward cheats," he repeated, "And Carlisle's too 'proper' to wrestle. It's just for fun." He added the last statement which, for the most part, was true. But there was a definite challenge in his tone as well.

"I've never wrestled 'for fun,'" Jasper stated. Instead of serving as a warning, Emmett's confidence only expanded.

Grinning broadly now, Emmett said, "Well then, I can teach you."

Jasper frowned, but a smirk was fighting its way onto his face. "You… you really want to fight me?"

"Yes!" Emmett said, as excited as if Jasper had officially accepted the challenge.

Jasper shrugged, "Okay."

Emmett let out a whoop and practically tore the front door off the hinges in his haste to get outside.

"Take it easy on him," Esme requested, placing a light hand on his shoulder.

Edward only laughed. "No, no. This serves him right. This I've gotta see."

Carlisle was still mildly concerned, but he was more curious now, and Jasper wondered at the change in mood. Was he really wondering who would win, or was there something else behind the curiosity? Jasper, himself, was wondering if he would be able to stay focused enough to keep things friendly.

"You'll be fine," Edward said quietly, as he followed Emmett out the door.

Jasper looked to Alice for reassurance. It was an unspoken trust he had in her. If she had seen him seriously hurting Emmett, he was sure she'd tell him. She only glanced up at him and winked. Then she leaned closer and said, "You'll have to do some smoothing over with Rose when this is done."

Jasper glanced at Rosalie. She was still confident of her man, but she was mildly nervous, too, having heard just a little more of Jasper's past then Emmett had been privy to.

The match started slowly, Emmett talking trash the whole time, Jasper getting a feel for his fighting style and ability. He was right; Emmett was slower. But if he got caught by one of Emmett's punches, he'd be hurting. He needed to be quicker. Once the actual fight got under way, Jasper won quickly, despite Emmett breaking free of two holds.

Emmett, true to form, was thrilled, even in defeat. He saw Jasper as a new and exciting challenge, promising that one day he'd beat him. It was Rose who took the defeat the hardest; her pride hurt. But Emmett's indomitable spirit kept her from getting too angry. Still, she was quiet the rest of the night, sending occasional glares Jasper's way, until he'd had enough and calmed her.

"I want to see who'd win between Edward and Jasper," Emmett announced in the morning hours.

"Another night," Edward said, placatingly. "I'm heading upstairs." He was almost to the library door, when he turned suddenly and looked at Rosalie and then Alice. "What?!" They both looked at him innocently but neither spoke. Alice started humming a song, and Rose turned her attention to Emmett. Whatever thoughts she started having, Edward winced and hurried away.

"Jazz," Alice said quietly. She stood and nodded her head in the direction of the door. "Let's go."

Jasper wondered why she was being quiet, but he took her hand and followed her up the stairs. Jasper glanced at Alice when he realized that they were "following" Edward to their room.

Edward entered what used to be his room and found all of his belongings had been removed. He turned angrily to the couple behind him, but before he could say anything, Alice held up her hand.

"Oh please," she said with a roll of her eyes. "What do you need a view for? You read and play music and have no need of this magnificent view."

"And you do?" Edward countered.

"Yes," Alice said smiling. "It's very romantic."

"You know, I already have one annoying 'little sister.'"

"Ass," Rosalie's voice flitted up the stairs, followed by Emmett's laughter.

Alice stuck her tongue out at Edward. "Think of me as the older sister who gets to push you around."

"But you're not older!" Edward said in exasperation.

The two were silent for a minute, staring at each other. Jasper wasn't sure what, exactly, was going on except that Alice was feeling more triumphant and Edward more annoyed until, suddenly, they both burst out laughing.

"You're such a freak," Edward said, and Jasper would have attacked him for that comment except that he felt the love behind it and no annoyance or hurt coming from Alice, and he could only marvel instead. "Fine. Take the room," Edward said, and this time all the annoyance was in play. "Where are my things?" There was silence a moment, then "The garage?!"

The large three car garage was detached and stood about a hundred yards to the back left of the house. "It gives you a little more privacy," Alice explained.

"That's true."

"Thank you," Alice grinned and hugged Edward. "There's going to be a lovely sunrise this morning and I'd like to take advantage of it," she grinned wickedly.

"I am so out of here," Edward said and literally fled, being chased by Alice's laughter as he went.

Emmett laughed as well, and said, "I'm gonna like having you all around."

Alice smiled at Jasper. "We're home."

It was two simple words, words that she had even uttered in the past. But this time, there was so much more behind them. He had never felt like he was missing anything when it was just the two of them. He had been perfectly content, even happy. He still didn't think he was missing something. He and Alice, so long as they were together, would be happy. But these people, this family, touched him in ways he hadn't been reached before – at least not since his human years. He felt part of something bigger than himself again, and it wasn't steeped in blood and death and power. He was surrounded by love and acceptance, not based on performance or some expectation, but simply in being. Yes, they were home. And as long as they were together, they would be home – no matter where they were.

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A/N – Well, there you have it folks. That's the end. Thanks for joining me for the adventure and I hope y'all enjoyed the ride. Thanks to those who added this story to alerts and favorites. Thank you immensely to those who took the time to write reviews and let me know what you thought. I appreciate all the feed back. Thank you reader13lovesbooks, MissLoonyLovegood (welcome), SWaddict1986, J., monko25, and Nenifer121. Thank you also to my ever faithful editor – Mom. Love.