One Step At A Time [Jasper]

[Jasper Hale]

Jasper could easily read the pain on Alice’s face. He had not felt that much hurt from her in a long time, but for Jasper that did not block out the fact that he still felt betrayed. Alice seemed to take several moments to compose herself. She had placed a hand over her mouth for whatever reason and a few seconds later she was able to speak. "I'm...sorry Jasper. For everything I have ever done to wrong you.” Jasper wanted to snap and snarl at Alice again insisting that apologizes never meant a damn thing if you did not trust the person apologizing. He instead kept his words to himself and tried to contain his anger before more trouble would be stirred up. Jasper once again waited in continued silence as Alice seemed to take another several moments to compose her thoughts.

He felt his jaw clench tighter and tighter to keep the words from exploding out as Alice declared that she wanted to be with him and that she would wait and never go anywhere. Jasper bit back a snarl and he suddenly felt a calm that he felt was more disturbing then his anger, “You gave up once before, I am not the Jasper that you used to be married to any longer,” Jasper could feel his voice slip slowly into a snarl, “you’re damn right I’ve been through hell, I don’t know if I could ever be with you again.”

Jasper swallowed to gain control of himself again and looked across the distance at Alice, “Have fun waiting with your fiancé.” Jasper then turned on his heel and began walking away from Alice.

[Alice Cullen]

Alice stared at Jasper, wide-eyed and feeling incredibly vulnerable. She had never felt so hurt in her entire existence and wished that she could cry so that she could let this feeling go inside of herself. However, she knew vampires could never cry. She couldn't even remember what it felt like to cry as a human, much like she couldn't remember her human life at all. All she had ever known was this life. This life and Jasper. And now she could feel Jasper slipping away from her for good. He had never said such hateful things before and she knew that part of it was her fault. But at the same time, she knew that they had both made mistakes. Alice knew that she could play the blame game all day, but it would get her no where to put blame on herself or Jasper.

At his last words, Alice watched Jasper turn on his heels and begin to walk away from her, but she wasn't going to let him leave without knowing the truth. "I am not with him anymore," she said softly, knowing he would still hear her. She knew that her relationship with Evan had ended the moment she made the decision to go to Florida to bring Jasper back, but it had just taken her time to put everything into motion once they returned. "I could not honestly give my heart to someone when it still belongs to you, even if you reject it like you are now." Alice looked to the ground, earnestly hoping that something would kill her for all the pain she felt. Jasper obviously did not want her anymore and that stung like fire. In fact, she knew that burning would be a welcome relief to the rejection she was feeling. Staring at his back for one more moment, Alice then turned around and began to walk into the forest.

[Jasper Hale]

Jasper slid his hands into his pockets and allowed them to curl into fist as he let Alice’s pain wash over him. So much of Jasper wanted to control Alice’s pain at that moment and part of him knew it was because he did not want her to feel that way. He knew however that would not change anything, because Jasper could tell that his anger and spite was the driving factor behind Alice’s hurt. Jasper stopped as he heard Alice explain that she was no longer with Evan. For once in the conversation Jasper held back the spiteful comment in his head, ‘Oh I wonder if Evan knows that.’ Jasper listened and glanced back over his shoulder to see that Alice was watching the ground and he looked back. He listened as Alice explained that she could not give her heart to someone when it still belonged to him.

Jasper allowed the silence to over for a moment before he spoke, “You are right about something Alice I am rejecting you right now.” Jasper glanced back over his shoulder, “But keep in mind that you rejected me and gave up on me. We both have to live with that forever.” Jasper turned back around and walked into the forest.