Let the Rain Come Down

Merry Christmas, one and all.

I've been listening to Michelle Branch while writing this chapter. 'You Get Me' just makes me think of these boys finding their soulmate in each other.

Disclaimer: All characters owned and created by Stephenie Meyer.

This chapter is unbeta'ed – any errors are mine and I apologise in advance.

~o.O.o~

Chapter 21

Jasper's POV

"Jasper? Jasper?"

The soft whisper of warm breath in my ear woke me. Squinting, I looked into Edward's shining eyes and cracked a sleepy smile.

"How long have you been up?" I rubbed my hand over my eyes, yawning. "What time is it?"

"7.30." He was wide awake, bright with excitement. "I've been awake for a while, but I couldn't wait any longer to get up."

His happiness was infectious. I pushed myself up onto my elbow, cupping his face to kiss him good morning.

"Happy birthday, Edward."

His happy grin made my stomach flip. Hauling myself upright, I decided that the time was now. I hadn't planned when to do it, but this moment of just us with the whole day ahead just felt right. Sliding my legs out of bed, I reached into my nightstand and palmed the little black box. Taking a deep breath, I ruffled my hair into order and dropped to one knee on the rug.

Edward sat on his heels, watching me in confusion.

"Did you drop something?"

I shook my head, feeling my face heat. It was crazy, but I felt keyed up and jittery now that the moment was here even though I already had the answer.

Here goes.

I cleared the sleep from my throat and met his gaze, holding out the velvet box. His lips parted in surprise and he shuffled across the bed to me, taking the box but not opening it.

"I know we already did this, but I wanted to make it official." I swallowed. "Edward Masen, I love you so much. You and I fit so perfectly that I don't know where you end and I begin. I can't begin to picture my life without you in it and I never want to. Will you marry me?"

I breathed out hard, feeling my heart pound. The colour flushed to his cheeks and he stared dumbly at the box in his hand.

I chuckled.

"Unless you're planning on turning me down this time, you can open it."

He turned the little box around in his hands until he found the opening. I heard his sharp inhale when the lid cracked open to reveal the gleaming band nestled inside.

"Jasper…" He sat, transfixed, his eyes filling with tears. I reached for the box, taking it from his open palm. Sliding the ring free, I took his left hand in mine, slipping the band onto his finger where it sat like it was made for him.

"I hope that means the answer's still 'Yes'?"

He rubbed the heel of his free hand across his face before launching himself into my arms, the pair of us tumbling back onto the rug.

His kiss was all the answer I needed.

~o.O.o~

All through breakfast Edward kept looking at his hand and it made my heart ache with happiness.

Esme hugged him as soon as he appeared in the kitchen, exclaiming over how beautiful the ring looked on him. He looked at her for a second and then it clicked.

"You knew!"

She beamed, winking at me. "Sometimes the best plans are a team effort!"

I grinned back at her.

She had prepared a birthday breakfast of eggs, bacon and hash browns with toast and coffee to fill us up for the adventures ahead. Handing Edward a wrapped gift, she sat down at the table with us to eat.

"You'll be needing this today. Happy birthday, sweetheart."

Watching Edward tear into the paper made me smile and he beamed when he pulled free a small, sturdy backpack and two insulated coffee cups. Now we could carry our food and bottled water with us and take a hot coffee.

I was just thinking about what we could take with us when Esme looked up from her breakfast, a questioning look in her eyes.

"I hope its okay that I packed you a lunch? It's in the fridge with the water."

Taken by surprise, Edward grinned. "You're the best, Esme. This is amazing."

She coloured at his praise.

"I just didn't want you to have to think about anything. Today's about the two of you. No obligations, just fun."

I thought about the money I'd tucked into my jacket pocket for later, the bus fare already in my jeans. We were all set. The only problem was it was still early - the zoo didn't open until 10.00am. This gave Edward ample time to both eat his breakfast and quiz us on where we found the ring.

Esme grinned when I said about the market and, as expected, Edward looked a little crestfallen that he hadn't been able to come. She patted his hand.

"It was for the very best reason. We can all go together next time when you're not working, but this time was a surprise for you. Jasper knew exactly what he wanted and he wouldn't settle for anything less."

I ducked my head to look at his face, nudging him with my shoulder.

"You're not mad at me, are you?"

His lips parted, his breath huffing. I relaxed when I saw his mouth twitch into a smile.

"No, I'm not mad. Of course not." He nudged me back. "I love it. It's perfect. It's the one thing I never expected."

"And yet it was the only gift that made sense to me."

He pulled me into a hug whispering "I love you" into my ear.

Blushing like fools, we dug into our breakfast.

~o.O.o~

The bus ride was short and filled with anticipation. Edward glowed, jittery with excitement by the time the bus pulled up at the drop off point. I fastened the backpack and put it on while we made our way in.

The sun was shining and, in the distance, I heard a roar. We grinned at each other. It was going to be a good day.

Picking up a zoo map at the gate, we took our time and planned a route to see everything we could. Setting off, we soon came across a huge enclosure with zebras, more concerned with finishing their breakfast, and huge camels that watched us with polite interest. We learned from the information sheet that there were two types – some with one hump and some with two - these had two shaggy-coated humps. While we read, an inquisitive camel meandered closer, a low groan rumbling from its chest. We could see it was chewing, huge teeth grinding away, large, dark eyes watching us. Edward spoke to it and for a moment it seemed to listen before turning in a languid movement and heading back to the others.

The kangaroos sunned themselves on their backs, Edward pointing them out in the distance. We walked on to the ape house, staying a healthy distance away from the glass when we saw an enormous male gorilla watching us. We skirted around the enclosure, moving on to where the mothers and babies were playing together in a group.

We meandered along paths lined with trees, their branches reaching to the skies, festooned in white, pink and lilac coloured blossoms. Turning a corner, we came upon a brightly-coloured carousel. A closer look revealed that all the animals were different, a sign explaining that all the animals depicted were endangered species. I saw Edward smile, picking out all the different types on the stationary ride and, on a whim, I decided we should ride. Digging into my jacket pocket, I fished out some dollar bills, counting out enough to hand to the attendant. Edward's mouth dropped open.

"Jas, no, we can't- "

His familiar panic around spending money on non-essential items rose to the surface.

"Yes, we can."

I raised my eyebrows and nodded my head to the ride. His eyes brightened and he set about choosing his mount. I turned to the attendant, money in hand.

"It's my fiancé's birthday and it's our first time here." I grinned and took my change. The attendant called out a happy birthday to Edward who grinned in response, already seated on the red panda. I went over and chose the zebra alongside. Another family were excitedly clambering up on giraffes, crocodiles and dolphins before the carousel began to turn, cheerful music playing. Feeling the breeze as we rode, I couldn't look anywhere but at Edward's face and I wished with all my heart at that moment that I had a camera. He held on to the pole and we sailed around, rising and falling without a care in the world.

The ride over, we walked on and came upon a booth. Emblazoned on the sides were the words 'Foto Fun'. I nudged Edward and heard his sharp intake of breath.

"What do you think? Shall we get our picture taken to mark your birthday?"

I knew from the times we had stood together in front of our old mirror that it was the one thing he wanted most of all – a real picture of the two of us. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw his rapid blink.

This time he gave no argument. We stepped inside and read the instructions before plugging coins into the payment slot. We would get three pictures so we chose to have one with us looking into the lens just like we always did with the mirror, another of us snuggling together, and for the last one, we ignored the camera completely, lost in each other.

We waited for the machine to print and spit them out, eager to see ourselves immortalised for the very first time. We looked pink-cheeked and excited in the first picture but it was the other two that stood out for me. In the second shot, Edward was glowing, wrapped in my arms, and in the third…

I swallowed the lump in my throat at what I saw: our foreheads lightly resting together, our noses touching, our lips only a breath apart. I wasn't prepared for the punch to the gut I felt; I was so damned lucky. The picture in my hand unashamedly screamed to the world that this beautiful boy loved me. Me.

My lungs protested that I hadn't taken a breath and so I inhaled long and slow, looking at Edward to gauge his reaction. I saw his face crumple, the heel of his hand scrubbing across his eyes in a familiar yet clumsy movement, trying his hardest to regain control, all the while staring at the photos.

He took a snuffly breath and pointed to the last picture.

"I always wondered what we looked like to other people. They must hate me for being with you."

My arm was around him in a second, my forehead creased in confusion.

"I don't understand how anyone could ever hate you. Have you seen how beautiful you are? I've had nightmares about another man taking you away from me and giving you everything you deserve." My mouth closed too late, the words having already escaped.

Edward looked bewildered, his deep frown breaking my heart.

"You know I'll never want anyone else, Jas. I told you you'd have to send me away because I could never leave you. You're everything to me."

I cupped his face and pressed a soft kiss to his lips before nudging his nose with my own. Taking his hand in mine, I lifted it, touching my thumb to his new ring.

"This is all anyone needs to know. It says that we're together and we love each other." He nodded, silent, and I sucked in a calming breath. "Let's agree that we're both just feeling a little overwhelmed, and how about we get us a second set of these pictures?"

He nodded, a heart-stopping smile twisting his lips. We loaded the coins into the machine, stealing kisses while the printer whirred and clunked.

~o.O.o~

The lion house was a large building, housing all types of big cat. The closer we got, the louder the roars became until we looked up and saw the magnificent male lion high up on a ledge roaring at a female down below. We laughed at what appeared to be a domestic between the two, neither budging from their positions despite the loud conversation going on. In the end, the lioness turned and stalked off to lay down, her back to the male, clearly having none of it.

Edward grinned and took my hand.

"They look like a proper old married couple. They've had this argument too many times to count, you can just tell."

I snorted.

"Good job he has a couple more women in there to annoy. Give her a chance to calm down at least!"

We snorted with quiet laughter before gazing around at all the inhabitants of the building. We made our way around, reading all the information about each type, gazing in awe at the cats who made themselves known to us. Looking into those big, bright eyes, knowing that any one of the powerful creatures could kill us in a moment was a sobering, yet awe-inspiring thought. The snow leopard, in particular, had huge paws and a tail so long it could double as a jump rope. It lounged above us without a care in the world.

I heard Edward's intake of breath when we reached the tiger enclosure. These cats were on a whole other level - huge and muscled with massive heads and powerful jaws. We stared in awe at the one closest to us, sprawled out on a rock in the sun, utterly relaxed. It looked for all the world like a contented housecat, huge white paws with glossy black pads dangling from the rock's edge. That was until a loud noise woke it up and it yawned right in our direction. For a second all we saw were long, pointed teeth, wild eyes and a lolling tongue. Then the eyes fluttered closed, the heavy head resting back on its pillow of stone.

Edward turned to me, an expression of comedic terror on his face.

"Did you seehis face? Imagine that being the last thing you saw before he ate you!"

I laughed and squeezed his hand.

"I think he's well fed and happy in here, although I'm glad this glass is thick!"

We watched the big cat snooze before moving on, getting hungry ourselves. It was then I heard Edward exclaim and pull me forward to the information board for the next enclosure and I saw the picture – it was the one thing he really wanted to see.

He read the board.

"The red panda can be found throughout the Himalayan mountain range in China, Nepal, India, Burma and Bhutan. The red panda is endangered in its natural range due to habitat loss and poaching. Each panda eats 5 pounds of bamboo per day and forages for leaves, berries and flowers to supplement its diet. Our breeding pair, Leafa and Phoenix, have had two litters of cubs at the zoo as part of the recommendation from the Red Panda Species Survival Plan. Their first litter are now thriving at San Diego Zoo, while their second litter are growing fast and will soon be off to a new home themselves."

"Where are they?" Edward scanned the enclosure, searching for the creatures he was so desperate to see. We waited. I slipped off the backpack and retrieved a couple of bottles of water, handing one to Edward.

We drank in silence, hoping the pandas might come to investigate. Edward's face broke into a beam when patience paid off and a flash of rusty fur peeked into view, followed by the cutest little face I'd ever seen: a pair of dark eyes above a white nose, white ears and raccoon-like stripes across its face. Then it emerged from the leaves and we saw it was like a little red bear with a black belly, short black stumpy legs and a rotund little body. The whole effect was topped off with a magnificently bushy tail.

"Look at him!" Edward was smitten. The creature walked carefully along the branch, his clawed feet turning inward for balance, and then we saw the others following – a second large panda and two smaller ones, dutifully following behind Momma.

I read more of the information board.

"It says that they're nocturnal and shy. We got so lucky today!"

Edward was barely breathing, his gaze transfixed by the fluffy family until they finally disappeared from view. I heard him suck in a breath.

"Wouldn't you love to have one as a pet?" He grinned. I thought for a moment.

"Well, we'd need to make adjustments to Esme's house. Plus, you know, my bamboo supplier doesn't deliver."

He burst out laughing and hugged me. "This is just the best day!"

I couldn't argue with him there.

We headed to the picnic area and unpacked our lunch to find packets of both chicken salad and cheese sandwiches, along with a bag of chips each and fruit. A birthday feast.

Sitting outside in the sun, the food disappeared like magic and I disposed of the wrappers in the nearby trash can. Edward consulted the map and we set off for the polar bear exhibit.

Watching the enormous bears through the glass, swimming and playing, was magical. I almost forgot to breathe when they swam right up close, massive paws right in front of our faces. Tearing ourselves away, we walked on over to see the penguins, grinning at their cute waddle. Watching their crazy enthusiasm for the fish their keeper was throwing was so adorable, all of them crashing into each other like impeccably dressed skittles.

On our way to see the seals, we passed the gift shop and I steered Edward over, intent on getting him a memento of the day. Between us, we owned nothing frivolous and I wanted to change that, not that I had told him that yet. Stepping inside, I saw the racks of animal-inspired items, everything from cups and books to clothes and cuddly toys. I had no idea what he might choose, but I was determined he have a good look round to see what they had and just wait to see if he gravitated to something. He admired the Savannah display of lion themed toys and shirts, recoiling when he saw the prices on the items. He looked at some photo frames for our new pictures but found none that were the correct size. That was something I could keep an eye out for at work and I filed that away for another day. He browsed happily, no intention to buy whatsoever, simply enjoying the experience.

Then I saw him smile, his whole face lighting up.

Within the wall of cuddly toys, he had found red pandas, some simple designs made for small children and others more true to life. He reached out to one, running a finger under its chin before picking it up to stroke its bushy tail. I knew that if I gave him the choice right there and then, he would walk away. Edward always did the sensible thing.

Not today.

I made my way over to where he stood, still holding the toy, the fondest smile on his face. When he saw me he grinned and set it back on the shelf as I had known he would.

"How much is that?"

He pressed his lips together and shook his head.

"I didn't look."

"Why not?"

"I don't need it."

"It's a really good likeness. They've even made its paws go inward the way they balance on the branches."

"Yeah. It's really cute."

I leaned in close.

"Just so you know, I did the math and I can't afford to buy you a real one. And I don't think Esme and Rosie would be happy if I did."

He huffed with laughter at the thought. Idly, I reached out and flipped over the tag on the toy. $16.00. An out of reach figure not so long ago. His gaze was fixed on the toy until that moment after which I saw him adopt a nonchalant expression, steeling himself to forget about it and walk away.

I frowned. He looked over at me with concern.

"What's wrong?"

"There's something I've been keeping back until this moment." A flash of hurt flitted over his features. "It's a good thing, honestly. When we were shopping, Esme told me that in honour of your birthday we don't have to pay rent this week. Which means…" I picked up the panda, "this little guy or girl, gets to come home with us. We'll have to keep him or her away from Rosie, though – she might want to play."

He looked torn.

"But $16.00 though. That's such a lot." His voice cracked on that one last, quiet protestation.

"Yeah, it is. And worth every cent as a memento of a great day. So, shall we go make this adoption official?" I turned to him and saw his face glow with happiness.

He didn't try to change my mind.

~o.O.o~

On the ride home, I carried the backpack whilst Edward cradled his gift in its carrier. Every few moments he would grin and so would I, both reliving the events of the day. We didn't hold hands but watching him touch his engagement band and catch my glance at every opportunity made it clear to anyone with eyes what we were to each other.

The walk home from the bus was a completely different matter. His hand reached for mine and I took it without hesitation, our fingers linking. Nothing felt more right than touching Edward. Rosie heard us at the door, her joyful bark welcoming us home, her wriggling body blocking the doorway in her desperate need to greet us. Esme appeared from the kitchen, shaking her head at the sight before calling her away so we could get inside and toe-off our shoes. If it was possible, Esme looked every bit as thrilled to see us.

"So? How was the zoo? Was it everything you hoped?" She looked from Edward to me and back again, seeing the carrier he still clutched to him.

Edward nodded, animated. He set down his gift on the kitchen table and I hung back to let him tell the story of our trip, loving every moment of it. In his excitement to tell her everything we'd seen, his hands were gesturing in the air, explaining the carousel, the lions, the yawning tiger, and of course the pandas. Esme was wide-eyed at his energy and enthusiasm. She looked so happy when he showed her the toy panda, seeing him light up when he unwrapped the gift. This simple toy, a treasured memento of a wonderful day, was so special to him and represented so much. Today he was a new person - a year older and both healthier and fitter than he'd been in who knows how long, his future bright.

Esme surprised us both with a birthday meal that evening, a large iced cake with candles taking centre stage. It was very telling that Edward struggled to find a wish to make before blowing them out, haltingly explaining that his life was more than he ever dreamed it could be and it didn't feel right to ask for more. Esme hugged him and told him that a birthday wish was always allowed, and so he thought for a moment before taking a deep breath.

I didn't ask what he wished for.

I figured that if it came true, I'd find out in good time.

~o.O.o~