Marked Chapter 21 - I Want to Tell You

EPOV

I set up my pillows on the bed and opened my laptop, pressing the button to boot it up. Instead of waiting impatiently for it to be ready, I picked up the picture frame I'd brought upstairs with me. I leaned against the headboard and began shuffling through the pictures from the zoo, looking for the one I knew I wanted.

I smiled reflexively down at the image of Jasper and me with our arms around each other, smiling at the camera. My index finger traced his face as a pang of longing hit me hard. It was intensified by the anxiousness I felt as I waited to talk to him.

I'd dropped him off at the airport several hours earlier, and I knew he should be logging on any minute now. I wondered if he'd unpacked yet, if he'd found the items I'd stowed away in his suitcase.
I'd felt a little silly when I'd grabbed them before heading over to his apartment to help him get ready, but some part of me just needed to send some of myself with him – so I had. I'd packed a pair of my pajama pants and one of my t-shirts in his suitcase…as well as the picture of us kissing that Emily had snapped on the zoo trip.

Fire spread along my neck and cheeks as I wondered what he'd think of that. I hoped that he wanted the reminder of me, but some part of me worried that it was too presumptuous.

What's done is done.

I shoved my worries aside, exhaling quickly as I reached over to type in my password. When I sat back up, I slipped the picture into the frame before putting it on my nightstand. I couldn't seem to stop looking at it – this framed picture of Jasper and me together – and I also couldn't stop the ridiculous smile on my lips whenever I saw it.

Time seemed to drag as I logged into Skype to wait for his call, but finally, thankfully, he was there. I answered with a smile in my voice that turned to a frown when I heard how tired he sounded. Before I could ask him to turn on his video, it was done, and I sighed as soon as I saw his face. It was part relief, part desire, especially when I saw him reclining on the hotel bed.

He was wearing the t-shirt that I'd packed for him – the blue long-sleeved one I'd let him borrow the night he cooked for me. His legs were covered with the sheets, but I imagined he was wearing the pants I'd sent as well. Suddenly, I felt a little self-conscious, unsure what to say now that I knew he'd found the things I'd packed.

Luckily, I didn't have to because as soon as I clicked on my video feed and he saw my face, he smiled. "Thanks…" he said quietly.

I swallowed. "You're welcome, baby. I hope you don't mind…"

He shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair. I was taken by surprise at how the simple gesture shook me. Just a few short hours ago, my fingers were in that hair, and I wanted to feel it again.

But I couldn't, so I took what I could get.

"How was your flight?"

"It was alright. It seemed like it was over before it started." His grin was infectious as I listened to him talk about the airport and making it to his hotel. When he started telling me about unpacking, we both grew quiet.

"Thanks, Edward…really," he finally said. "I don't know how you knew, but I just…I…I really…" He trailed off, frowning, and I wanted to reach through the computer and smooth the wrinkles I knew were on his forehead, even if the video didn't show them clearly. "I needed that," he finished simply. "I'm glad I can see you whenever I want this week."

My smile widened as I said, "You're welcome, sweetheart," in a choked voice. The fact that he'd welcomed the picture, the reminder of us, touched me more than I'd thought it would.

We talked for a few minutes more before Jasper yawned. A glance at the clock showed that it was pretty late for a work night, and I didn't want him spending his first day of the new project dead on his feet. He protested when I told him to get some sleep, but it didn't take much to convince him.
I felt empty as we began saying our goodnights, but as I was about to log off, Jasper whispered, "Hey."

I glanced up, feeling strangely like our eyes met through the screen before he gave me a crooked smile and said, "I miss you. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

"Yeah, okay," I answered, caught off-balance. "I miss you, too, Jazz."

"G'night," he said, and then ended the call before I could respond.

"Good night, baby," I murmured under my breath. I logged out of Skype and stared at my screen blankly, debating what to do. It was still early for me, but I didn't feel like doing anything in particular. I half-considered surfing for porn, just for the release to help me pass out, but I couldn't summon enough interest to try.

Instead, I shut down the computer and climbed out of bed, stripping before I settled beneath the sheets. I lay on my side, staring at the picture of us in the light of the lamp until I decided I'd pined enough. It helped a bit to know that Jasper had a picture of us, too, and I couldn't help but wonder if he was looking at it just then.

Deciding that he was likely asleep – like he should've been – I rolled my eyes at myself and clicked off the lamp. I hadn't realized how exhausted I was until I began to relax my body, trying to calm tense muscles. With a loud yawn, I reached behind me to grab Jasper's pillow. It still smelled faintly of him, and I inhaled deeply as I closed my eyes, wrapping my arms around it.

I wasn't aware of drifting off, but I woke the next morning with Jasper's pillow crammed beneath me, my arms asleep from being stuck under me all night. I groaned and flopped over, landing on my back with my arms over my head. I stared at the ceiling in the faint light and wondered what the hell I was going to do with myself all week.

Thankfully, I did have work to do, so as soon as I felt awake enough, I got up and dressed in last night's pajamas. I headed downstairs, where I ate a bowl of cereal and then got to work in the darkroom. I spent the whole day going back and forth between there and my computer, stopping only once.

Around 2:00, I took a break to eat some lunch and decided to call Kate. I wasn't sure why – I just needed to hear her voice, and I realized I hadn't even spoken to her since before Jasper came over Friday night. We talked for a few minutes about how her work was going, and then she said, "Alright, spill it."

"What are you talking about?" I stalled.

"Don't even try it. You're morose. What happened?" I heard the slight edge of menace to her voice, and it killed me to know she was worried that Jasper had hurt me again. Still, I couldn't blame her – I would rip Garrett's nuts off if he hurt Kate, and I knew she was just as protective of me.

"Calm down, Katie-bug. It's okay. We're good. I just miss him. A lot."

I listened to her breathing on the other end of the line and knew she was analyzing my tone, seeing if I was telling her the truth. "Alright. So it went okay then?"

I thought back to everything that had happened over the weekend, all the long talks Jasper and I had shared, and I smiled. "Yeah, it really did…"

She listened as I told her an abbreviated version of what we'd talked about. I knew she was working, even if she wasn't at a shoot, and I didn't want to keep her. I also didn't really know how much to say over the phone. By the time my watered-down version was drawing to a close, I could hear the way she'd relaxed slightly. She didn't comment much on what I'd said, so I was half-expecting what she said next.

"Hey, he's not coming back until Saturday, right? How do you feel about a little slumber party Friday night?"

I grinned, immediately looking forward to it. "That sounds perfect. You're sure Garrett won't mind?"

"Oh, he'll miss me, I'm sure. Who wouldn't? But he'll be alright. I know the guys have been bugging him to hang out, too."

We confirmed our plans and talked for a minute or two more before Kate said she needed to get back to work. As soon as we hung up the phone, I felt a heaviness settle back over me. It had lifted somewhat while talking to Kate but returned even stronger without her there as a buffer.

Somehow, I managed to focus on my work, and the afternoon passed in a strange fit of stops and starts where time would drag by only to speed up for a short burst and then drag again. By the time my brain began to feel mushy and like it needed a break, it was close to dinnertime. I reeked of the darkroom, so I went to take a shower before tackling the problem of food.

In the end, I made tomato soup and cheese toast the way Aunt Livy used to make it when I was sick and settled in front of the TV for a couple of hours. I tried to pretend it wasn't the case, but I was clearly just marking time until Jasper called. I wasn't sure when that would be – or which phone he'd call – so by 8:00, I was upstairs once again, laptop in front of me and cell phone beside me.
My cell was the phone that rang. "Hello?" I said, nearly before it reached my ear.

"Hey, baby," Jasper answered, sounding tired again. "I wasn't sure if you'd umm…well, if you'd want to see me tonight or…"

I grinned at the uncertainty in his voice. "Jazz, I always want to see you. But I'm happy just to talk to you, too. It's completely up to you, baby."

"I'd like to see you, too," he answered immediately. I chuckled, and we spent another minute talking a little awkwardly before we both hung up. Jasper's call appeared on my laptop just a few seconds later, and something in me relaxed when I saw his soft smile.

"There you are," he said. "Been waiting to see your face all day."

I felt my cheeks heat, which was something that Jasper seemed to make happen quite often. I didn't usually embarrass easily, but sometimes he said something like that, something so disarming that it left me off balance and out of sorts. "It's great to see your face, too," I managed.

Soon, we were talking comfortably, and I listened in quiet fascination as Jasper told me about his meetings and the programs his company was writing. His business world was so different from mine, and he let me in on a level Alistair never had. Al had always claimed that he didn't want to bore me, but I was never quite sure I believed him.

"Oh, sorry…I'm just rambling away," Jasper said finally, his accent sneaking in with his embarrassment. I told him it was fine, that I enjoyed listening to him, but he changed the subject, asking what I'd done all day. I filled him in, and then there was a strange pause as we just watched each other.

"You okay?" I finally asked, concerned that maybe there was something on his mind that he was keeping from me.

I couldn't see well enough to tell if he was blushing, but the way he ducked his head and looked up at me through his lashes suggested that maybe he was. "Yeah, I'm fine," he said, clearing his throat. "I…well, I was just wondering if…ahh…" He ran his fingers through his hair, glancing to his right before he muttered, "Ah, hell."

His eyes gazed at me through the screen, fixing me in place as he said, "I was wondering if I might get to see a little more of you tonight, Princess. Had a dream about you last night, and it's been on my mind all damn day…"

I blinked, and then a smile spread slowly across my lips. "A dream, huh? Care to share, Mr. Whitlock?"

He was definitely blushing as shifted on the bed, a cute little smile on his face. "I'm sure you can guess." His smile dissolved into a smirk, but I wasn't about to let him get away with that.

"I have a general idea, yes…why don't you fill in the details?"

He watched me for a moment before giving his head a shake. "Sure you want to know?" he asked huskily. I gave him a flat look. He laughed and tilted his head, thinking. "Alright, then…how about you take off that shirt, and I'll tell you how it started?"

I grinned and ripped my shirt over my head, dropping it on the floor. He laughed again, and I could hear fondness in his voice when he said, "I miss you."

The statement caught me off guard, and I reached toward my screen. "I miss you, too, baby." When he didn't speak again right away, I lowered my voice and said, "What brought that on?"

He shook his head, shrugging a bit. "I don't know. I just…I've never done anything like…ahh…like this before."

I heard what he didn't say – that we were different than anything he'd ever known. I smiled at him, nodding to let him know I understood. Really, I felt the difference, too. There was something natural and open with Jasper that had always been sorely lacking with Alistair and the other men I'd dated. I didn't comment on it. It was enough that we both got it.

"You're still wearing your shirt, Cuddles," I pointed out.

He grinned. "I know. Funny enough, that's how it started in the dream, too." I arched an eyebrow and listened as he went on. "I walked into your kitchen, and you were there cooking…something."

"Something?" I teased.

"I didn't bother to look," he answered wryly.

"Why's that?" I interrupted, feeling my lips curve upward as his playful mood began to seep into me. My eyes widened as Jasper paused for a moment, lifting his laptop so he could flip the covers away. He was wearing my pajama pants, but what I noticed more was the way his hand drifted up his thigh, coming to rest just at the top – so close to what I wanted to touch.

"Because I couldn't stop staring at you. You were standing there in nothing but that pair of raggedy old jeans you love, and I just wanted to touch you…so I did."

"Yeah?" My voice was more breathless than I expected, and I was surprised at just how much I was enjoying this little game of Jasper's.

"Mmhmm…" he breathed. I had a hard time believing he was new to this because of the way his thumb trailed along the edge of his crotch. I glanced down at my picture in the corner and realized that all he could see was my face, so I scooted back on the bed until I knew he had a good view of me. He smiled and murmured, "Thank you."

"How did you touch me?" I asked in response, letting my hand slip to the waistband of my pajama pants. I was rewarded with the sight of Jasper licking his lips. When he didn't say anything more, I stopped my hand and watched him pointedly until he gave a start.

"Damn, it's hard not being able to show you." Frustration was clear in his tone, but he shook it off with a sigh. He looked almost shy as he bit his lip, but then he seemed to come to some sort of conclusion. His voice was stronger, commanding when he spoke again. "I walked up behind you and kissed your neck…you were so goddamn warm…I rubbed your chest and let my hands slip down…you didn't argue."

He grinned, and I barked a short laugh. "Umm, no…I wouldn't…" My hips shifted on the bed, my arousal growing by the second. I wasn't sure where Jasper was going with this, exactly, but I had a feeling that no matter what path he took to get us there, this was going to end with both of us naked with cocks in hand. I decided to help him out a little bit and said, "Like this?" as my hand traced the contours of my abdomen, coming to rest on my hard-on.

He grunted and nodded, his blue eyes drifting closed for a moment before they opened and focused on the screen again. "Yes, like that…then I unzipped your pants and reached inside…"

He trailed off tantalizingly, and I picked up right where he left off. "Fuck, that would feel good...I love feeling your hand around my cock."

If my words shocked him, he didn't show it. If anything, it seemed to spur him on, and soon he was telling me what I did in the dream, how I backed up against him. The slight awkwardness I'd felt early on faded away as I listened to him, and by the time he said, "I pulled your pants down and pushed you against the counter," I was too far gone to care.

Without speaking, I lifted my hips and shoved my pants down, kicking them off before settling against the headboard again. I brushed my hair away from my face and then took myself in hand. Jasper watched me for a moment before I heard him mutter something under his breath. He stood up, disappearing out of the frame, and when he returned, he was nude, his body hard and ready for me.

And I wasn't there.

Fucking hell.

There was nothing we could do about that, not right then, so I tried my best to ignore it. Instead, I turned my attention to Jasper, to the way he was touching himself, the noises he made, the things he was saying. His hand was moving leisurely, lightly tracing his length as he told me how good I looked, how much he wished he was here with me.

Every word seemed to loosen the knot in my chest, soothing and teasing at once. Soon, he returned to his dream, murmuring about the way he knelt in front of me, and I began to stroke myself in earnest as he said, "You feel so goddamn good in my mouth. I love to taste you, baby…I love that noise you make when I take you all the way…" A half-whimper escaped my lips, and he grinned. "Yeah, that one…just like that…"

Minutes were lost to the sound of our moans and pants as our hands glided over our cocks, our eyes trained on each other through the screen. His hand began to slow, and I followed his lead, panting as I tried to calm myself. I watched as he spat into his palm and wrapped his hand back around his cock. I moaned softly and wished like hell that I was there. I couldn't make myself look away even to grab the lube that was in the drawer nearby, so I reached up, spitting into my hand quickly.

My moan grew louder at the heightened sensation, the feel of slick flesh and exquisite pressure. I wasn't going to last much longer, no matter how Jasper tried to slow us down, and he seemed to see it on my face.

With a crooked grin, he murmured, "Aw, fuck, Edward…let me see you, baby. It's gonna be a long goddamn week…give me something to think about when I'm all alone in my room up here…"

His words were teasing and playful, but I could see the earnest look on his face. I gave myself to him, trying to show him even through the camera how I would always respond to him, always do what he wanted and needed, so long as it was in my power.

Of course, I had to admit that his request for me to come wasn't exactly a hardship on my part.
My eyes focused on his cock, on the swollen purple head as it vanished and reappeared in his fist. Jasper spread his thighs and reached down with his left hand, grabbing his balls. He pulled them harder than I ever would have, and my eyes widened as I realized that this – this – was how he was when he was alone.

"Fuck me," I whispered, my eyes automatically closing as I clenched my jaw. My nostrils flared as I inhaled sharply, a few more flicks of my wrist causing spots to bloom behind my eyelids. I grunted and slowed my hand, prolonging the feeling of bliss as long as I could, but then I heard the sound of Jasper's panting, and my eyes flew wide. I didn't want to miss this.

"Holy fuck," I managed, my voice raw and rough to my ears. Jasper's fingertips were pressed against his entrance, his balls trapped between his thumb and the rest of his hand as he pumped himself harder and faster. His eyes were tightly shut, his lips parted, and I watched in absolute awe as he fell to pieces.

The thick, white streams reached his chest, marking the inky black tattoo, and my eyes were transfixed on the spot. I was reminded of my fantasy – the one he'd made a reality – and all the conflicting sensations and emotions sent me into overload. For a long time, I just sat there in a stupor, watching him watching me.

He was the one who finally broke the stalemate, chuckling weakly as he leaned over, reaching for the floor. He sat back up with a pair of boxers in hand and wiped at the mess on his chest and abdomen, cleaning himself up as best he could. When he was finished, he sat up and rested his elbows on his knees.

"Goddamn, Princess…I gotta say, I wasn't sure what to expect, but we may have to have more…ahh…conversations like that."

I laughed at his playful smirk and ran my fingers through my hair before I leaned over and grabbed my baby wipes. I made short work of cleaning myself up and didn't bother to dress again, smiling when I noticed that Jasper was still sitting there in the buff as well.

We didn't talk for long after that, both of us a little scattered from the experience we'd just shared. We made arrangements for Jasper to call the next night, and as we were getting ready to hang up, he said, "Oh, Edward?"

"Hmm?" I mumbled around a yawn.

"Maybe tomorrow night you can tell me what you dream about." He gave a wicked little grin and cut the video. I laughed, half in disbelief, but before I could answer, he was gone.

I sighed, missing him more than I ever had. As I shut down my laptop and got settled in on my side, my phone lit up with a text. I frowned until I saw his name on the screen and then quickly checked what he'd sent.

Miss you, baby.

With a smile, I returned the sentiment, finally feeling a little more settled. Somehow, I drifted off to sleep, wondering all the while if I'd have any dreams worth telling Jasper about – I hoped so.

The rest of the week passed in much the same way, with my days dragging while those conversations with Jasper at night were heated and all-too-brief for my liking. The distance wore on both of us, but I was happy to realize that the panic I felt during my Tennessee trip was nowhere to be found. I wondered if it would've been there if I was the one out of town instead of Jasper, but I tried my best to chalk it up to growth on our part rather than a simple change in roles.

We texted back and forth during the day sometimes, mostly when Jasper was between meetings. He sent me a few pictures of him, looking bored, with captions about managers changing their minds and accountants who didn't know how to use calculators, much less computers.

On Thursday, I played with him, sending back a teasing picture of me standing naked in my bathroom, the image stopping below my hips where Jasper could just barely see the light trail of hair leading from my navel.

His response made me laugh, the incoherent text followed by a picture of him pouting. I traced his lower lip with my thumb and sighed before typing back,

Better watch that pouting, Mr. Whitlock. I might decide to put those lips of yours to good use.

He answered immediately, taunting me by saying he was pouting because he couldn't do just that right then. I groaned and barely stopped myself from pleading with him to come home already. Instead, I kept the tone light, bantering with him playfully until he finally wrote,

LOL Okay, stop. Seriously. Have a meeting in ten and can't go in there like this.

I frowned slightly and then laughed when a second text came in. It was nothing but a picture of Jasper's crotch, his suit pants barely containing his erection.

"Jesus… fuck…" I breathed, clearing my throat.

After a moment's thought, I gave the only answer I could.

Not fair showing me what I can't have.

His response put a smile on my face, even as it made me sigh with longing.

Never said I played fair. Can I stay at your place Saturday?

I told him he could, of course – and that I was looking forward to it. Then the phone was silent for a while as I assumed he went to his meeting.

When it rang again a few hours later, I expected it to be him. Instead, the words Alice Brandon flashed on my screen.

"Alice! How are you?"

"Hey, Edward! It's been a long time…"

I thought back to the last time I'd seen Alice. It was, ironically, the day I'd met Jasper. "Oh, wow, it really has…"

It wasn't unusual for Alice and me to go months without seeing each other. We were friends, but it was casual at best. We were drawn to each other in many ways, but we ran in such different circles that we'd never really been able to hang out regularly. Still, it seemed like another lifetime ago that I'd seen her, and I was truly happy to hear from her now.

I asked about Becca's trip, and she filled me in on that and how work had been going for her, and then she said, "So, I talked to Becca…about that shoot, you know? She says she'll do it! She wants to have some new pictures of us. She loved the tattoo, by the way…"

I listened as Alice chattered away, smiling as I walked into the den and flopped down on the couch. I rested my head on one arm and my feet on the other and relaxed. It was always so easy talking to Alice, mostly because she carried the conversation, even when she was asking about me. Her mind moved a mile a minute, and everything I said reminded her of something else.

We talked about my photography, which led to Kate, which in turn led to Garrett. Finally, Alice said, "Oh! Right…I nearly forgot why I called…"

We laughed together as she told me about the Halloween party she and Becca were hosting. She told me to invite Kate and Garrett as well before she said slyly, "And if you don't have a date, I know just the guy…"

I interrupted, "Actually, I do have someone I want to bring."

"Really?" she half-squealed. "What's his-?" Her question was cut off by the sound of the doorbell, and she cursed lowly. "Damn it! That's gotta be Becca. She left her keys here when she went running." I heard a muffled noise as she stood and called out that she was coming. "Don't think you're getting out of this. You will bring him, right?"

I chuckled. "Yes, I promise."

"Okay, okay…" she sighed. "We'll see you in a few weeks?"

"Sounds great to me," I answered, but I wasn't even sure she heard me as she said goodbye. I heard Becca murmur something that made Alice giggle, and then the line went dead. Judging from the sound of that throaty laugh, I wasn't entirely sure I would've wanted to hear what was happening on the other end – it would just make me miss Jasper even more.

When he called that night, I was in a quiet, almost depressed mood. I needed this week to be over so that I could hold him again, kiss him, hear my name in that accent of his – in person. He picked up on my mood and seemed to mirror it, even though he tried to cheer me up.

"Only a couple more days," he murmured, but I could hear the sadness in his voice.

"Yeah, not long now," I answered, trying to make my smile genuine. To try to distract us both, I said, "Oh, hey, I was invited to this Halloween party today…I was hoping you'd want to go with me?"

The left corner of his lips lifted into a crooked smile as he said, "You asking me out on a date?"

"Something like that." I smirked.

"Good. Then I'll go. I was actually going to ask you to a Halloween party some friends of mine are having, but…" He trailed off, and I could sense more than see his blush as he continued, "Well, you've met most of my friends. I'd kinda like to hang out with some of yours."

My half-formed protests died on my lips as I realized what a step this was for Jasper – voluntarily giving up a night with his friends to hang out with mine. I bit back the babbling that would've changed our plans. Something told me that this was different. This wasn't him just giving up himself – this was him choosing us.

"You sure, baby?" I couldn't help but ask.

"Please," he answered simply.

"Okay."

Just that easily, the decision was made, and Halloween was quickly forgotten as Jasper said, "So, Dr. Masen…been dreaming lately?"

I grinned and bit my lip, raising my eyebrows. "Now that you mention it…"

Jasper leaned forward, listening with obvious interest as I began to tell him about my dream the night before. It had been that first shoot again, but this time, I'd made the move I'd wanted to make. What followed was one of the most vivid, exciting imaginings my mind had ever conjured.

My voice was hoarse and strained by the time we were finished, my limbs fluid and my control over them tenuous. I reminded Jasper as we were about to hang up that Kate would be there Friday night, and he frowned, sighing. When I asked if he was okay, he reassured me, saying that he just already missed me and wasn't looking forward to a night without talking to me.

I told him it didn't have to be that way – we could still talk. He grinned and said, "Yeah…not exactly the same, though, huh?"

I laughed and shook my head, lowering my voice as I said, "Well, if you're interested, I could always call after she goes to bed…"

"We might have to do that…" he murmured, his face brightening.

"I don't want you to be too tired, though."

"Eh, it's alright. It's not like I have to work Saturday. All I have to do is get up and catch a plane to get home to you."

I inhaled audibly at his words – at the implication, however unintentional – that I was home. I knew that wasn't what he meant, but the words warmed me regardless. To cover my reaction, I joked, "Well, in that case, maybe you should go to bed early after all. You're going to need your strength…"

I watched the slow smile spread on his face and waited until his lips parted to speak before I finished, "You know, for pottery class."

His face fell and his eyes narrowed, but he was chuckling as he muttered, "Fucking ass." I chuckled with him, and the smile was still on my lips when I fell asleep a few minutes later.

I woke the next morning with a lighter heart. Jasper would be home in less than twenty-four hours, and I had a long evening with Kate planned to interrupt the monotony of my work at home.

I spent a good portion of the morning cleaning, making sure the place was ready for both Kate and Jasper. In the kitchen, I ransacked the refrigerator and pantry, muttering to myself as I made a shopping list. I was a little low on groceries, and I wasn't sure what, exactly, Kate and I would get into that night.

When I had taken care of the house and cleaned myself up, I grabbed my list and headed out the door. No matter what we did, I was sure that at least some drinking would be involved, so I made my way to the liquor store. I walked up and down the aisles, looking over some of the newer selections before I finally settled on something a little different. I took inspiration from the bottle of chocolate vodka I picked up and made a couple of additions to the shopping list, deciding on the spot that martinis and daiquiris would be perfect for the night.

I took my time shopping, enjoying being out of the house. I smiled to myself as I noticed a couple of women at the grocery store checking me out – even though I wasn't interested, it was nice to know they were. And even nicer to know that the man I was interested in looked at me the same way they did.

By the time I returned home, I was feeling pretty good despite the lonely week I'd had, and I hummed to myself as I put the groceries away. I closed the cabinet door on the last of them as I heard keys rattling in the front door. It opened just as I realized that I'd accidentally put the liquor away, and I was pulling it out again when I heard Kate's voice.

"Edward?"

Putting the items we'd need on the bar, I smiled and called out, "I'm in the kitchen, Kate!"

I grabbed the strawberries from the fridge and began cleaning them, chuckling when I heard Kate's surprised, "Chocolate vodka?"

I nodded, continuing to work my way through the strawberries. "Yep, thought it might be a nice change."

Kate put a bag on the counter next to me and snatched one of the strawberries. I frowned, "Hey! You want to have daiquiris later or not, missy?" I glanced over at the bag and quirked a brow. "What's in there?"

Instead of answering, Kate began pulling out the makings of her caramel chip brownies. My eyes widened, and I actually started drooling at the prospect of having some later. She'd also brought some vanilla ice cream, which she promptly put in the freezer. She walked up to me and put her finger under my chin, teasingly closing my mouth as if I'd been gaping - which, admittedly, I might have been.

It had been too long since we'd done something like this together, to be honest, and it felt kind of nice to have a night with my best friend again. Snatching another strawberry, she mumbled around it, "Last one, I swear!" holding up her hands in surrender. I just shook my head and grinned, eating one myself as I winked at her. She narrowed her eyes a little and then hugged me sideways.

I finished cleaning the fruit, putting it back in the fridge for now since we weren't going to have the daiquiris until after we'd eaten. The brownies, however, I wanted to get started on, so I turned to Kate with an expectant grin. She rolled her eyes, fished out the bowl from the cupboard and began pouring in the ingredients. All I could really do was watch, as she'd already measured everything out at home. I'd asked her countless times for the recipe, but she refused to share it, saying it was a family secret and only her Nana had a say in who was privy to it.

The baking itself, though, she enjoyed doing with me, which is why she hardly ever made it ahead of time. She said there was just something about it being fresh from the oven and having it smell the place up that made it more special. I had to agree.

Before too long, the pan of brownies was in the oven, the few dishes were done, and we were ready to start our evening. We both went to change into our pajamas and then met up in the living room. I chuckled when I saw her shirt and lounge pants, both of which had Snoopy wearing sunglasses with the text "No Cameras, Please," all over them. She stuck her tongue out at me, folding her arms across her chest as she said, "What? Garrett gave them to me."

I grinned, raising an eyebrow as I watched her look over the DVDs in order to pick one out to watch. "Exchanging nightwear already? My, my, Miss Denali, you do work fast these days."

My tone was teasing, and I had to work hard to keep a straight face when she glanced over her shoulder with a withering look - one that lasted only seconds before she started laughing. "Don't tell me you haven't done that yet. Oh, wait..nevermind, birthday suits are a bit difficult to swap." She made a face at me and then turned her attention to the movies again.

I frowned, her remark hitting closer to home than she'd intended to, but I wasn't going to talk to her about this. I had to do better with Jasper than I had with Alistair, and as much as I wanted to talk to her about things, this shouldn't be one of them. To buy myself some time, I went to the kitchen to get us both a bottle of water and to grab the take out menus so we could figure out what we were going to have for dinner. By the time I came back into the room, Kate was already sitting down and had the DVD player set to go.

Handing her a bottle, I sat down in my corner of the couch and glanced down at the coffee table to check what I was in for tonight. I looked up at Kate to find her grinning at me. She shrugged and said, "I felt like something silly..."

I grinned and shook my head as the opening credits came up and voices started singing.

I solve my problems and I see the light.
We got a lovin' thing.
We gotta feed it right.

"Silly, huh? You sure it isn't all the bad boys in leather?"

She threw a pillow at me and said, "Oh, shut up! I know you love Grease as much as I do, and I seem to recall you having a thing for leather-clad bad boys, yourself."

She raised an eyebrow as if daring me to contradict her, which we both knew I couldn't, so I just shrugged and grinned. We sat back and watched as Danny and Sandy said their goodbyes. They had just gotten to their first day of school and were singing "Summer Nights" when my phone rang. I frowned, wondering who it could be. I normally didn't leave my phone on when Kate and I had a night like this, but with Jasper out of town, I'd felt the need to keep it on. It was still too early for him to be calling, though, and I wasn't expecting anyone else.

My frown deepened at the name flashing on my screen, and I quickly flipped it open after a hurried, "Sorry," to Kate. She nodded, pausing the movie even as I said, "Emily?"

Soft sniffles reached my ear, causing me to sit up straight. "Emily? What's wrong? Are you okay?"

I heard her take a shuddering breath, and I could almost see her running her fingers through her hair as she said, "Edward? Yeah...I'm sorry. I didn't want to... I don't mean to interrupt, but...do you think you could come and pick me up? I just..." She cleared her throat, and I could hear other voices through the line, as if she were in a room full of people. "I don't want to bother you...I'm sorry. I'd call Jasper, but since he's out of town..."

Her voice faded, and I sighed, shaking my head. "You're not bothering me, Lee Lee. I told you to call me if you needed anything. Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm..." She sniffled again, then said, "I don't know...I just need to get out of here, and I don't want to go home...can't..."

Kate was watching me carefully, curiosity and concern clear on her face. I ran my fingers through my hair, a sinking feeling in my gut about Emily. Something was definitely wrong, and I didn't like that she wasn't telling me what it was. I frowned, wondering if something had happened with James. "Sweetie, are you alone?"

She snorted quietly, and I barely caught her muttered, "I am now..."

I wondered what that meant. I was getting increasingly worried, and Kate mouthed, "Everything okay?"

Shaking my head, I shrugged to let her know I wasn't sure yet. "Emily, where are you? I'll come get you right now."

She had just told me the name of the restaurant she was standing in front of when I heard raised voices on the other end of the line, but before I could ask what was going on, the line disconnected.
"Fuck!"

I was on my feet in an instant and bounded up the stairs to change into my jeans. When I got back downstairs and was tugging on my shoes, I hastily explained to Kate what I thought was going on.
I sighed, running my fingers through my hair in an attempt to calm down. "I'm sorry, Kate. I don't mean to run out on you, but..."

Kate frowned, shaking her head before folding her arms across her chest. "Don't worry about it. Do you want me to stick around?"

I bit my lip, then nodded. "If you don't mind? I don't know what all's happened, it may be nothing, but..."

Kate nodded, smiling softly as she placed her hand on my shoulder. "It's alright, Edward. Really. I'll order some pizza so there'll be enough if Emily comes back with you. You just make sure she's okay."

Kissing her cheek, I smiled. "Thanks, Katie-bug. I'll be back as soon as I can."

With that, I hurried out the door, waving behind me as Kate called, "Be safe!"

The whole way over to pick up Emily, I could feel my nerves ratcheting up. I really didn't like the fact that our call had been disconnected that way. It just didn't sit right. None of it did. And Jasper's words before he'd left kept running around my brain. "I'm worried that he's her Paul."

When I pulled up in front of the address Emily had given me, I couldn't see her at first. There were people walking in and out of the place, and for a second I wondered if she'd gone back inside. She'd said she would wait for me out front, though, so I kept looking. Finally, I spotted the familiar head of hair.

But what caught my eye next made me see red.

A guy I recognized as James had a firm hold of her upper arm and was pulling her toward the alley next to the restaurant - out of sight.

Oh, hell no!

I was out of the car and crossing the short distance faster than I'd have thought myself capable. I couldn't protect Jasper from Paul - that was in the past; it was done and unchangeable.

But I'd be damned if I'd let anything happen to his sister.

James had his back to me as he was pushing Emily ahead of him into the alleyway, and I could hear her pleading for him to let her go. I wasn't sure what pissed me off more: the fact this was happening to her or that no one bothered to make sure she was alright. There were plenty of people around. This should not have been able to take place.

Period.

Through the red haze that seemed to cloud my vision, I was vaguely aware of a few people glancing her way, some with concern, but I wasn't about to wait for them to decide if they gave a damn.
I did.

James still hadn't seen or heard me, as he was too busy sneering at Emily that no one cared about her and to just shut up. Using his own momentum, I grabbed the wrist of the hand that he was holding her with and yanked it free, twisting his arm behind his back in one swift motion as I shoved him away from Emily and further into the alley.

I growled out, "Leave her the fuck alone. She said she wanted to go."

My heart was hammering, adrenaline coursing through me as I struggled to stay in control. My first concern had to be Emily, no matter how much I wanted to pound that asshole into the ground. I pushed James against the wall and looked over my shoulder at Emily, who was crying and watching us with wide eyes.

"Lee, are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

She opened her mouth a few times, trying to speak, but when nothing came out, she simply shook her head. I nodded once and tried to ignore the stream of profanity coming from James as I told her to go to my car and wait for me. She didn't react in any way other than to continue to stare at us. I shifted more toward her, my voice laced with concern as I said, "Emily, I need for you to do as I say. Go wait by the car. Please?"

My attention slipped just enough for James to manage to twist out of my grasp. I heard Emily's gasp a split second before I felt James's fist connect with my side. I was able to move just enough to not get the wind knocked out of me, even if it did still hurt like hell. I wasn't much of a fighter - despite Emmett's rough-housing when we were growing up - but this wasn't about me. This was about protecting Emily, and I had no intention of failing that task.

James tried to hit me again, aiming for my face this time, but I was faster, ducking out of the way. I didn't give him another chance, pushing him with his back against the wall as I pinned him down, my left arm pressing against his windpipe and forcing his face up. He tried to grab it, to force me to move, but I didn't let him. I could ignore a little pain if it meant I was able to keep him from breathing.

He swore loudly, telling me to mind my own fucking business. I got right in his face, making sure to keep my voice low enough so Emily couldn't hear me as I told him that keeping Emily safe was my business. My voice was laced with threat as I said, "You are going to walk away, James. Walk away, and never look back. Leave Emily alone. If I hear even the faintest whisper that you've gone anywhere near her, you'll regret it. As a matter of fact, if I hear of any woman going through what you've put that girl through, you'll regret it."

He spat at me, "Fuck you. Who the hell do you think you are?"

I put more of my weight into him, causing his face to turn a bright red as I restricted his air supply. My eyes narrowed as I hissed, "I'm family!"

His eyes widened, flickering between me and Emily, who was still rooted to the spot. He looked at me with malice and rasped, "You're not that fag brother of hers..."

Putting slightly more pressure on him, I growled. "No, I'm not. And you're gonna thank your lucky stars for that fact if he ever does get his hands on you, I can promise you that! Now, I'm going to tell you this one last time. Leave. Emily. Alone! Do not contact her. Do not go near her. Get the hell out of Boston if you know what's good for you, because I guarantee you if Jasper hears about this, you won't like the outcome."

He glared at me, trying desperately to get me to let him go. I raised an eyebrow at him and said, "Do we understand each other?"

He narrowed his eyes, hissing, "Yes."

"Good." I slowly let him go, stepping backwards so I could keep my eyes on him this time; I wasn't going to make the same mistake twice. I reached for Emily, who had yet to go to my car, and she moved behind me, grasping at the back of my shirt as James stood for a moment, catching his breath. When he'd sufficiently gotten himself together again, I said, "Go. Get the fuck out of here, and don't ever let me see you again."

He slinked past us, giving us as wide a berth as possible. I waited until I was sure he was gone and then turned around, wrapping my arms around Emily. She slipped her arms around my waist, burrowing her face into my chest - much like I'd seen her do with Jasper last week - and she started crying again. I kissed the top of her head, swaying her gently back and forth in an attempt to soothe her. I knew she'd need to get this out of her system before she'd be able to tell me what happened, so all I could do was simply hold her and let her cry.

After a few minutes, she began to settle down enough, only occasionally sniffling. She muttered, "I'm sorry..."

I frowned, pulling back slightly so I could put my finger under her chin to get her to look at me. "You're sorry? For what, Lee?"

She huffed slightly, brushing her hair out of her face in irritation, though whether at me or with herself, I wasn't able to tell. "For getting you involved...and you got hit..."

I shook my head, placing my thumb over her lips to quiet her. "Don't be. I told you to call me if you needed my help. I'm glad you did. God only knows what might have happened to you if you hadn't."

I hugged her to me again, thanking every being I knew that she was safe. If anything had happened to her, I wasn't sure what I'd tell Jasper...or how I'd even be able to face him. I felt myself start to shake a little now that the threat was over, and I held her tighter for a moment. Kissing the crown of her head again, I whispered, "Come on; let's get to the car. I think we both need to sit down."

She nodded against me and took a shuddering breath before stepping out of my arms. I didn't quite want to let her go, though; I needed to make sure she was alright - protected - so I put my arm around her shoulder and tucked her against my side. As we walked, I ignored the stares of the bystanders still shuffling on the sidewalk, resisting the urge to growl and yell at them. When we got to the car, I held the door open for her and waited until she was seated and buckled up to lock and close it.

Now that she was safely in the car, I took a moment and closed my eyes, my hand resting on the roof of my car to steady myself. Taking a few deep breaths, I tried to calm the torrent of emotion that was running through my veins. I felt both scared and relieved. I was anxious to learn what had happened, worried that there was more to all of this...like with Paul. The thought of that made me sick to my stomach.

I muttered under my breath, "Get yourself together, Masen. You need to take care of Emily now..."

Letting the air out of my lungs slowly, I walked over to the driver's side, this time paying attention to the traffic around me and realizing just how lucky I had been not to get hit by a car earlier. This road was busy, and I had taken absolutely no notice of anything other than the need to get to Emily.

Once I was in the car, I locked my door and turned to look at her. She was looking down at her hands, which were wringing together in her lap. I couldn't see her face, though, as her hair was down, forming a curtain she was hiding behind. I sighed softly as I reached out and pushed her hair behind her ear. "Lee? Did he hurt you at all?"

She shook her head again but remained silent. Putting my hand on her shoulder, I traced soothing circles on it with my thumb as I watched her closely. "Will you tell me what happened?"

Emily slowly raised her head and looked at me. I was taken aback by the pain in her eyes - pain that so closely mirrored Jasper's during our talk the week before that I had to fight to keep my composure. Please, God, don't let it be as bad as that...

"It's...it was nothing. James has been working two jobs, and I wanted to surprise him after his shift. Only...I was the one that ended up surprised. I guess I shouldn't have been..."

She lowered her head, her hair forming a curtain again as she said, "I saw him with another girl...I didn't think he'd noticed me. As soon as I realized what was going on, I turned around and left. That's when I called you. He...he followed me outside. You saw the rest for yourself, pretty much..."

Her voice had grown softer and softer as she spoke, and I had to strain to hear her. I sighed and leaned over the console, hugging her as best I could as I whispered, "I'm so sorry, Lee. You didn't deserve that. Any of it."

She clung to me in a way that made me wonder again whether something worse had happened and she just wasn't telling me. I pulled back slowly as the awkward angle was starting to hurt a little, and she quickly wiped her eyes before turning to stare out the passenger-side window. I grabbed her hand, squeezed it lightly, and said, "Let's get home, alright? We can talk more, later. You're staying at my place tonight, okay? I'd rather not leave you alone right now, in case James does something stupid."

She nodded quietly. I sighed and turned the ignition. Once the road was clear, I pulled out, and we drove to Beacon Hill in silence. There were a million questions I wanted to ask Emily, but I thought she needed at least some peace to process what had happened tonight, so I stayed my tongue.

When I pulled into my parking spot, I turned to Emily again and said, "I should probably tell you that Kate's here as well." At the mention of Kate's name, Emily turned to me with raised eyebrows. I smiled reassuringly as I said, "Kate's my best friend; we were watching a movie when you called."

Her eyes widened, and she sat up straighter in her seat. "Oh! Oh, God...Edward, I'm so sorry...I ruined your night and..."

I frowned. "Don't, Emily. You haven't ruined anything. Kate'll be happy to have you with us - you can join our sleepover and gang up on me. Trust me; it's nothing new for us." I winked at her and added, "Besides, you're in luck. You get to try Kate's famous Caramel Chip Brownies! Not everyone does, you know."

At that, she chuckled and rolled her eyes.

There's a little of the Emily I know.

I smiled and patted her knee. "Come on. I don't know about you, but I'm starving, and I'm sure the pizza'll be here by now."

I got out of the car and walked around to her side to open the door. Winking, I held out my hand to help her. She huffed at me, but her eyes lit up in a smile that made me grin. Locking the car, I extended my arm and escorted Emily to the front door, which opened as we walked up the steps, a worried-looking Kate welcoming us home.

I kissed Kate on the cheek before introducing the two women. Emily was more subdued than I'd seen her before, but that was to be expected. Kate, however, was her usual warm self now that she knew we were safe.

Kate put her arm around Emily's shoulder and began walking her to the kitchen as she said, "Pizza got here just a few minutes ago. I hope you like pepperoni or Hawaiian barbecue chicken. I ordered both, since Edward can never make up his mind."

She grinned at me and winked. I just rolled my eyes at her and went to the fridge, grabbing each of us a bottle of water before taking a seat at the bar. I noticed Kate had made room for us to eat there, and I silently thanked her. The dining room felt a little too formal for the occasion, and I wanted to put Emily at ease as much as possible.

Kate handed us each a plate and said, "So, Emily, Edward tells me you want to learn about photography?"

I smiled at Kate as I grabbed a slice of each kind of pizza, earning me a chuckle from both girls even as Emily nodded and said, "Yeah, I do. He let me use his camera when we went to the zoo." Her eyes widened suddenly, and she turned to me with something close to her usual excitement. "Hey, I still haven't seen those pictures!"

I blushed, in part because I realized Emily was right and in part because Kate was staring at me with a knowing grin - one I was glad Emily missed. Wiping my fingers and mouth on a napkin, I smiled at Emily. "Oh, yeah, sorry about that. We can take a look at them later if you want. And if you see any you want a copy of, we can take care of that - probably not tonight, though."

"Sweet! There's a couple I can't wait to see!"

When I glanced over at Kate, she gave me a look that clearly told me that the subject of my allowing someone else to even touch my camera would definitely be brought up at a later date. Thankfully, Kate let it drop for now and turned her attention back to Emily, keeping the conversation light and focused on photography.

As the girls were talking, I allowed myself to observe. Emily's eyes were dancing, and it was a relief to see the life in her again. It made me hopeful that whatever had happened with James wouldn't affect her as deeply as what had happened to Jasper with Paul. I knew I'd have to talk to Emily again later, if for no other reason than to figure out what to tell Jasper. I wasn't going to keep this from him, but I didn't feel right telling him everything, either - that would be Emily's place.

For now, though, I tried my best to relax and join in the conversation as much as possible. When we had all had our fill of pizza, Kate excused herself for a moment after exchanging looks with me. I was grateful that she was giving me the time to talk to Emily alone. Before I got a chance to say anything, though, my phone chirped, letting me know I had a text message. I was certain it would be Jasper, and sure enough, it was. I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair, my eyes on Emily, who seemed anxious again.

"Lee..."

She shook her head, her eyes shimmering with both pain and determination. Taking her hand in mine, I rubbed the back of it with my thumb. "Emily, I can't keep this from him."

"Edward, please just...don't tell him? Please? He's going to flip, and you know it. I don't want him to know..."

I frowned. "Emily..."

She pulled her hand back, folding both of hers in her lap as she lowered her gaze to them. Her voice was low, pleading, hurting. "Please...it's bad enough that you know...I can't tell him. He wouldn't understand..."

Oh, how wrong you are, sweetheart. He does understand, more than you know.

I sighed and scrubbed my face. "I can't keep something like this from him, Emily. I won't keep secrets from Jasper - especially not ones pertaining to your safety. You can't ask me to do that."

She sniffled, and I thought I heard her mumble, "I shouldn't have called..."

I cradled her face in my hands, lifting it up so that we were eye to eye. "Emily, you did the right thing. I'm glad you called, and I'm even more glad to know James is gone - hopefully forever. But you need to tell your brother. He loves you, and he deserves to know. He's been so worried about you, sweetheart."

She whispered, "I know he has. That's why I can't tell him..."

Running my thumbs under her eyes, I wiped away the tears that were falling before leaning in and kissing her forehead lightly. "You need to tell him about what happened. Not just tonight, but everything...because I have a feeling there's more to it than what you've let on, isn't there?"

She closed her eyes, nodding almost imperceptibly. Had I not been holding her head in my hands, I might have missed it completely. I sighed, aching inside at the thought of her being hurt.

Standing up, I wrapped my arms around her and felt her do the same. She clung to me much like she had before, her face once again buried in my chest. Rubbing her back soothingly, I murmured, "You're safe now, Lee; you're going to be okay. Jasper needs to know what happened, though..."

She lifted her head to look up at me. "Please don't tell him, Edward. He's going to flip his shit. You know that. Please?"

I sighed, frowning slightly. "I won't tell him, not tonight anyway. He can't do anything from D.C. anyway, so there's no point in upsetting him when he'll be home tomorrow. But you two are going to sit down and talk after class. No ifs, ands, or buts about it."

Emily's eyes flashed briefly with defiance - and something I was beginning to recognize as being Whitlock pride. It quickly gave way to defeat, though, as she whispered, "How can I? He's going to hate me for letting James do what he did...for not standing up to him..."

I placed my thumb on her lips, shaking my head as I gave her a sad smile. "I can promise you he won't hate you. He loves you, Lee, and nothing's going to change that."

Her voice was small as she asked, "Will you be there?"

"If you want me to be."

She nodded. "Please?"

"Alright...we can have lunch here, and then you two can talk."

She gave me a watery smile then and said, "Thanks, Edward."

As if on cue, Kate walked in right when I told Emily she was welcome. Kate shot me a glance, silently asking if everything was alright and smiling when I nodded in answer. She grinned, clapping her hands together, and said, "Emily! How about we find you some pajamas to change into so we can get this evening started properly? What do you say?"

Giving Emily one final squeeze, I let her go and she got up, walking over to Kate with her head tilted to the side. "What did you have in mind?"

Kate's grin widened as she placed her arm over Emily's shoulder and mock-whispered, "Edward makes a mean daquiri; I'm sure we can convince him to make you one, too. It's not movie night without one, right, Edward?"

I rolled my eyes at her, crossing my arms as I feigned concern and said, "I don't know, Kate. Jasper'd probably kill me for giving his little sister alcohol."

It was Emily's turn to roll her eyes, and both Kate and I caught her muttered, "Not like he's never done that before."

I tilted my head, laughing, and held up my hands. "Alright, you two ladies get comfortable. I'll make them light...I think after tonight's events, we could all use some, but I won't go per our usual standard, Miss Denali."

When I raised an eyebrow in challenge to Kate, all I got was her sticking her tongue out at me for an answer. Emily chuckled, shaking her head as she watched us. Kate linked her arm through Emily's as she led them to the staircase and presumably up to her room.

My phone chirped again as I was putting the strawberries in the blender. "Shit..." I sighed, picking up my phone but not opening it. I had promised I wouldn't say anything to Jasper...now I just had to make it so he wouldn't wonder what was wrong. I hadn't checked his initial message yet, so I did that first, smiling at his words: Out of last meeting. Finally! Heading to dinner, then hotel. Miss you.

I checked his second message and bit my lip as I read: Restaurant you recommended too busy, going to hotel instead. Maybe you can show me the place sometime, Princess? More fun with you than alone, anyway. Skype later?

Quickly typing out a message, I reminded him that Kate and I were having our sleepover tonight, so I wasn't sure whether Skype was going to happen. I didn't know how to tell him that Emily was here, so I left it for the time being. After I hit send, I poured in the chocolate vodka and turned on the blender. I saw my screen flash with a new message but left it unanswered until I was finished with my task.

I heard the girls coming down the stairs, so I quickly put a strawberry on the rim of each glass and a straw in every drink. I smiled when I saw Emily wearing Kate's pink Tatty Teddy pajamas that I'd gotten her a couple of years ago. Holding out a glass to each of them, I asked if Kate had shown her where to find everything. Emily nodded and said, "Yeah, I don't think I'll have any problems tonight."

She took a sip of her daiquiri, and I chuckled as her eyes widened a little. She quickly swallowed and said, "Wow, wasn't expecting that...good stuff! Thanks, Edward." Her eyes lingered on mine as she added, "For everything," her voice quiet but sincere.

I nodded, hugging her sideways. "You're welcome, Lee. Now why don't you and Kate go to the den and start the movie? We hadn't gotten that far into it."

Emily looked from me to Kate and said, "What were you watching?"

Kate grinned and said, "Grease."

"Awesome!" was the only response as she and Kate walked to the den. I flipped open my phone to read Jasper's text while I followed them, drink in hand. I sat down on the loveseat, as Emily and Kate had taken up the couch. Not that I minded - it looked as if the two of them had hit if off nicely, and it seemed as if Kate was able to bring out some of the self-assurance Emily needed to reclaim for herself.

While the movie started, I texted back and forth with Jasper. I missed him, and as much as I knew that the talk that needed to happen between him and Emily was going to be hard for everyone involved, I couldn't wait to have him back home. Especially after tonight, I longed to have him close - to hold him and feel him and know we were going to be okay. That we were all going to be okay.

When we got to the part where we'd left off, I put the phone down and paid attention - almost as much to the movie itself as I did to the two girls who were singing along, eventually even going so far as to act out the scenes.

They were laughing and having fun, and watching them made me smile. I settled further into my seat, turning so that I was leaning into the corner of the couch. I might not have known Emily very well, or for very long, but I had the sense that this was how things should be for her. Happy. Uncomplicated. Carefree.

My coffee table had been pushed aside to make room for Kate and Emily as they danced around and sang along. I was amazed that Emily seemed to know every scene by heart and was able to sing every song without missing a beat.

When the movie got to the last song, they pulled me out of my seat and made me join in. I must admit that it didn't take a lot of convincing. I needed to feel like a part of their happy bubble, though I wished Jasper could have been there with us. This felt as close to a family as I'd had since living with Aunt Livy and Uncle Everett, and it just made me want it more.

My phone rang, and for once I didn't hesitate to answer; I knew it was Jasper even before I saw his name flash on my screen. The girls were still singing at the top of their lungs as I said, "Hey, baby."

Chang chang changitty chang shoobop,
we'll always be like one,
Wa wa wa waaah.

I walked into the hallway so I could hear better and said, "Sorry about that."

"That's okay...who all's there? You having a party or something?"

My stomach flipped at the thought of having to keep something from Jasper, but I had promised Emily I wouldn't mention what had happened tonight. I cleared my throat and prayed he wouldn't ask too many questions because I knew I wouldn't be able to tell an outright lie. Not to him. "Yeah, I guess you could say that. I figured since I was picking Emily up tomorrow anyway, she might as well stay the night. Give us both time to sleep a little longer. And I thought that it might be nice for Lee and Kate to meet."

I bit my lip nervously, my eyes constantly flickering to Emily as I stuck my thumb in my jeans pocket.

"Sounds like they're having fun. Watching Grease, huh?"

I let out a soft sigh of relief. "Yeah, Kate's choice. Lee seems into it, though."

Jasper laughed and said, "She is! Between Mama and Chuck, it was a staple in our household. Not that I ever minded watching it, of course. But Chuck had a crush on Olivia Newton-John, so it was played...a lot."

I chuckled and teased, "I see. So does that mean that the next time we watch it, I get treated to a rendition of it by you, too?"

He laughed again and said, "Maybe...if you get me drunk enough."

I grinned, turning my back to the living room and lowering my voice a little so I wouldn't be overheard. "While that thought has its appeal, there are other things I'd much rather do, Mr. Whitlock."

I heard a soft thump on the other end of the line, which made me quirk a brow, but before I could ask about it, Jasper said, "So, slumber party, huh?"

His voice had gone down, too, and sounded a little strained. I had the feeling he was trying to keep our conversation from getting out of hand, since he knew Emily was here.

"Yeah, the girls are all comfy in their pajamas."

Jasper's, "And what are you wearing?" surprised me, especially since his voice had gotten huskier.

I cleared my throat self consciously, hyper-aware that his sister was mere feet away from me. "I haven't changed out of my jeans yet. Don't worry, not about to risk flashing your sister or anything."

Closing my eyes, I pinched the bridge of my nose. I was a little uncomfortable with where this was going, knowing who was here with me - and why. The longer I talked to Jasper, the harder it became to keep my mouth shut, not to mention to keep from talking to him like I usually did. Teasing Kate with it was one thing; letting Jasper's kid sister overhear was quite another.

"Baby, I'd better get back to the girls before they eat all the brownies. I'll catch you later on chat?"

I heard Jasper's interest as he said, "Brownies?"

Seizing the distraction, I said, "Yeah, Kate made brownies earlier. Best you'll ever have. Caramel and fudge and...pretty much heaven in a pan. I'll see if I can save you one."

"Damn that sounds good." He chuckled and sighed. "Alright, baby...text me when you're ready for bed?"

I smiled. "I will, Cuddles. Talk to you later."

"Alright. Tell Lee to behave."

Laughing, I assured him I would pass along the message. After we hung up, I turned to find Emily standing in the doorway. I noticed Kate was taking her time putting the movie away, allowing us a moment. I opened my arms to Emily, and she stepped readily into them, wrapping her own around my waist.

Like before, in the alley, I swayed us gently from side to side as I rubbed her back soothingly. She muttered, "I'm sorry to cause you all this trouble, Edward."

I looked down at her, putting my finger under her chin to get her to meet my eyes, and said, "None of that. You didn't do anything to cause trouble, Lee Lee."

She frowned. I sighed, hugging her close as I rested my chin lightly on her head. "Emily, I care about you, and I know your brother well enough to know that telling him now wouldn't do anyone any good. I don't like keeping it from him, but tomorrow you're going to talk to him, and then it won't matter anymore. It'll be okay, sweetie, I promise."

I silently prayed that I wouldn't be proven wrong - that we would be okay. Kate came up to us and put a hand on Emily's back as she said, "How about some brownies? Everything's better with some chocolate, wouldn't you say?"

She winked at me, and I grinned as I tickled Emily lightly before stepping back. "What do you say, Lee? Ready to try some of Kate's famous caramel chip brownies?"

Emily's smile made a reappearance, though I could tell it took her a little effort to put it there. "Sure, sounds good."

We retreated into the kitchen where we told Emily to take a seat at the bar while Kate cut the brownies and I took care of the ice cream. Kate poured milk for all of us and then made it a point that Emily try a bite first before I could have mine.

My pout was met with laughter from both girls, and I had to fight to keep myself from grinning as I feigned annoyance with my friend. Emily purposely took her time, drawing it out as long as she possibly could, just to tease me. That was fine with me because her getting back to her mischievous self was - in my eyes - a good and welcome sign.

I glanced over at Kate, who was watching Emily intently. For some reason, she was always nervous when someone tried her cooking for the first time - especially her brownies. This time was no different as I caught her releasing the breath she'd been holding at the sound of Emily's soft moan of appreciation. Turning my attention to Emily, I smiled and said, "Good stuff, huh?"

Emily merely nodded, her eyes closing as she savored the flavors, a happy expression on her face. I looked at Kate, giving her my best puppy dog eyes, which earned me a smack on my shoulder as she huffed and gave the okay to start eating.

The three of us sat in silence as we enjoyed our dessert. In an effort to keep Emily's mind off James, I asked if she wanted to see the pictures next. She grinned as she took her last bite, nodding her head and making a noise of affirmation.

I chuckled, and after I was done with my dessert, told the girls to head to the den and put on some music while I cleaned up. They both protested loudly, and in the end, I was ushered out of my own kitchen to go find the pictures while they took care of the dishes. I grumbled under my breath but did as I was told, reminding myself to avoid any future evenings with just the two of them. I needed Jasper here to even out the score a little.

It didn't take me long to find the stack of photos in my office, but when I walked into the den, it was empty. I put the pictures down on the coffee table, pushing it back in its place. Just when I was about to go find the girls, they came walking in. Kate had a tray in her hands, with steaming mugs of hot chocolate on it, and I grinned, quirking a brow at her. Once she sat the tray down on the table, she handed me my mug with a grin of her own, "There you go, m'dear. Cinnamon and whipped cream, just the way you like it."

Kissing her cheek, I thanked her and took a seat on my side of the couch. Kate took hers, and Emily sat between us. Kate leaned back, sipping her cocoa as she watched us. Putting down my mug after taking another drink, I grabbed the stack of pictures and handed them to Emily. She did an excited little wiggle in her seat, which made both Kate and me chuckle.

"I can't wait to see how some of these turned out!" Emily said, her eyes glinting with enthusiasm.

I smiled at her as I said, "You've got a good eye, Lee. You did pretty well with some of them."

She smiled widely, then wormed her way against the back of the couch and started flipping through the pictures, taking her time on every single one. Sometimes she'd point out something to Kate, explaining what we'd been doing. Other times she let out a little squeal of delight - usually when it was a shot of Jasper and me together.

When she reached the picture of Jasper clucking like a chicken, Emily lost it and began to laugh so hard she had tears in her eyes. Kate looked over at me with a raised eyebrow and a grin firmly in place.

Emily managed to pull herself together again, and in between giggles she looked at me and asked, "H-has Jasper s-seen these yet?"

"Mhmm, he did."

Emily snorted softly. "Let me guess...eye roll?"

Smirking, I nodded. "Pretty much, yeah."

Finishing her drink, Kate set the empty mug down and leaned closer, prompting Emily to explain the next few pictures to her. When they got to the pictures Emily had captured of Jasper and me almost kissing - and being far too intimate than was really proper for her to have witnessed - I blushed.

Kate shot me a knowing look but took pity on me as she commented on Emily's angle and lighting. Emily, in the meantime, kept shooting me furtive glances, which just made me blush more.

Clearing my throat, I rolled my eyes at myself and said, "Thank you for taking those, Lee. They're honestly some of my favorites from that day."

The proud smile that spread over her face was worth any embarrassment on my part. Emily bit her lip as she flipped quickly through the stack again, pulling out the ones she wanted copies off. When she was done, she frowned at the pile in front of her and huffed, "That's more than half of them..."

I grinned. "That's alright..."

Emily turned to me with wide eyes, gaping. "I can't ask you to do that!"

I quirked a brow at her. "You're not. I offered. Besides, you can consider it part of your training if you're up to learning how to use the darkroom sometime soon."

She bit her lip again, her eyes searching mine as she quietly asked, "Are you sure?"

I nodded. "Of course."

"Yay, thank you!" Her voice dissolved into a yawn. "'Scuse me," she mumbled, blinking slowly. I knew the events of the night - and probably the crash from excess sugar - had finally caught up to her.

Kate patted Emily's knee as she said, "I think it's time for bed. Don't you two need to get up crazy early to pick up Jasper?"

Emily nodded. "Yeah..." She put the pictures on the table before turning to me and hugging me fiercely, muttering, "Thanks, Edward. For everything."

Hugging her back just as tightly, I kissed the top of her hair. "You're welcome, sweetheart. I'll see you in the morning, okay?"

"Mhmm. Night, Edward." She kissed my cheek and got up, giving Kate a chance to give me a hug as well as she wished me a good night. The two of them disappeared upstairs while I straightened up the den and did the few dishes that were left before going to bed.

I changed into my pajama pants since Emily and Kate were staying over and grabbed my phone, sliding between the covers. My laptop was on my nightstand, but as much as I wanted to see Jasper, I wasn't sure I could without giving myself away. I typed out a quick text to let him know I was in bed and then set my alarm - both the one on my phone and on my nightstand.

My phone chirped as I was getting comfortable, and I smiled as I flipped it open and read his message.

You up for Skyping?

I ran my fingers through my hair, sighing softly as I considered it again. Deciding it was better not to, I typed out:

Sorry, baby. I'm wiped...plus the girls are here. I'll see you soon, though. Can't wait to pick you up in the morning. You should get some sleep, too. I miss you...

It wasn't a lie. I really was tired, feeling the weight of the night's events catching up with me, too. Jasper's reply came quickly, leaving me feeling both relieved and sad that he agreed, saying he was going to turn in as well. I wanted to tell him I loved him, but I stopped myself. I really wanted to say those words to him for the first time in person, not in impersonal text. After a quick text goodnight, I turned the lights off, put my phone on my nightstand, and fell asleep far quicker than I would have thought possible.

My alarm went off way too early for my liking, and my first instinct was to shut it off, turn over, and go back to sleep. By the time my phone alarm went off as well, I remembered the reason for the early wake up and smiled, burrowing my face into my pillow. It was ridiculous how much I was looking forward to having Jasper close by again, especially considering everything that had happened - or maybe it was because of it.

And then the memories of last night came rushing back, and I groaned into my pillow. As much as I wanted to have him here, to hold him again, to kiss and touch him again...the talk that was going to happen later today was not going to be pleasant. I was determined to be there for both Jasper and Emily, though. I had a feeling they'd both need me, and I was more than glad that Emily seemed to want me there.

Stretching myself languidly, I muttered, "But first, breakfast."

Deciding to get that taken care of before taking a shower, I got up, grabbed a t-shirt, and pulled it over my head as I walked out of my room. I could hear the shower in the guestroom going, so I knew at least one of them was up already.

As I started the coffee, I tried to figure out what to make for breakfast. I still had some strawberries left, as well as a couple of bananas. A quick look in my fridge showed sausages and eggs. Making up my mind, I checked my recipe book for what I needed to make Dutch pancakes, which I'd taken a liking to during one of my trips to Europe. Satisfied that I had everything, I set to work.

When the girls came downstairs about half an hour later, I was almost done with the pancakes. Emily sat down at the bar, looking tired but smiling, while Kate grabbed plates and silverware before taking her seat as well.

"Morning, ladies. Did you sleep well?"

Kate grumbled a reply I couldn't catch, but I wasn't worried about her. She was hardly ever "human" until after her first cup of coffee - catch her before that, and you were lucky to keep your head. Emily simply hummed in affirmation.

I pointed them toward the fruit I'd already set up on the bar along with syrup, honey, and Nutella. When I asked if either of them wanted sausage with their pancakes, they both shook their heads, saying they were fine.

Plating the last of the pancakes, I grabbed the carafe of coffee and made my way over to the bar, placing them both down before taking my seat. "Dig in, ladies." I looked at Emily and smiled. "I hope you like them. Ever had Dutch pancakes before?"

She shook her head again as she picked up one and put it on her plate. She looked at the choices in front of her, seemingly having a hard time deciding what to try. I chuckled, telling her she was welcome to have however many she wanted. She grinned, her eyes meeting mine with a mischievous light in them as she said, "Be careful with that, Edward. I'll hold you to it, and you might be surprised at what this girl can wolf down."

Kate and I both started laughing. We chatted idly over breakfast, and Emily complimented me on the pancakes. I asked her if she thought Jasper might like some and what he'd like with them. She immediately jumped on the idea of making a plate for when we picked him up.

"I think he'd prefer savory over sweet, though," she said.

Wiping my hands and mouth with a napkin, I grinned. "That can be arranged. As long as you and Kate can handle frying up a few sausage links, that is. I have to hurry to get showered and stuff. That okay?"

I looked at both of them. Emily seemed all for it, and Kate just smirked and nodded, nursing her cup of coffee in both hands. After putting my dishes in the sink and showing Emily where to find everything she'd need to put together a take-away plate for her brother, I went to take a shower.

By the time I was downstairs again, the girls were just cleaning everything up.

"You ready to go, Lee?"

"Yep!" She grinned, grabbed the insulated bag, and walked over to me. "All set. Even have napkins and utensils if he wants them. And Kate's got a thermos with coffee for him."

As if on cue, Kate handed me the thermos with a smirk and said, "Don't worry, we thought of everything to make your boy happy, Eddie. Well, everything we can provide, anyway."

She winked, chuckling at the blush that spread up my neck as I narrowed my eyes at her. I pulled her in for a one-armed hug and leaned in to whisper in her ear, "Katie-bug, you do know that payback's a bitch, right?"

I grinned as I felt her stiffen slightly. She hissed, "You wouldn't!"

Quirking a brow at her, I shrugged. "Just remember you have Garrett now - and I've known you for a looong time."

She smacked the back of her hand against my stomach and grumbled, "Alright, alright, I'll behave..." Then she muttered, "For now, at least," under her breath.

After locking up, Kate walked with us to my car and waited until Emily put the bag of food on the backseat. While I got into the car, the two of them hugged, speaking quietly, and then Kate ducked her head in to say goodbye and to tell me to give her a call later in the week.

The trip to the airport was relatively quiet. I could tell that Emily was worried about something, and I was willing to bet that it had to do with how her brother would take the news of what had happened. I reached over, squeezing her shoulder as I glanced at her quickly before turning my attention back to the road. "It'll be okay, Lee. Jasper won't like what happened, no, but you might be surprised by his reaction."

I knew that Jasper would be pissed off, but I was relatively certain his anger would be directed mostly at James - and, if the talk he and I had had the week before was any indication, he'd be upset with himself, too.

Emily just nodded, her gaze drawn to the thermos in her hands. It wasn't until I'd parked the car that she looked up at me with a frown. Her voice was soft, barely audible as she said, "Edward? I'm...scared he's going to hate me..." I opened my mouth to contradict her, but she shook her head and spoke quickly, "No, really...I should never have let James... Jasper asked me if he'd ever hurt me, and I told him no. I got mad at him and asked if he thought I was stupid...only...I-I..."

I sighed, scrubbing my face roughly several times as a sinking feeling settled into my gut. I turned to face Emily and took her hand in mine. "Only he hit a little too close to home, and you reacted without thinking."

She nodded, sniffling softly. I squeezed her hand to get her to look at me. "Emily, sweetheart, I can't say how he will react to that, but I am positive he won't hate you for it. Any of it. I don't think he ever could, honey...you're too important to him, you know. He loves you."

She wiped her eyes quickly, nodding as she said, "I know he does...that's why I'm scared."

Leaning over the console, I gave her an awkward hug, kissing her temple and whispering, "I know, sweetheart. But I'll be there, and we'll figure it all out, okay?"

"Okay..." She took a shuddering breath before pulling away, turning in her seat to put the thermos down next to the bag of food so it would be waiting for Jasper.

When she sat back, I ran my thumbs over her cheekbones, wiping away the rest of her tears as I smiled softly at her. "You ready to go?"

She gave a watery smile and nodded. We got out, and I offered her my arm, which she took gratefully. She asked to stop by the restrooms so she could freshen up and greet her brother without tear streaks on her face. Once she was done with that, we made our way over to the arrivals area to see when his flight was landing.

Thankfully, the screen said it had already landed a few minutes earlier, so we made our way to the right area and waited. Emily tucked herself against my side as I put my arm around her shoulders and gave her a reassuring smile.

I was dreading the coming conversation as much as she was. I could only imagine how sick Jasper was going to feel, how it would remind him of everything he'd gone through with Paul - and how having it happen to his little sister was going to seem like his worst nightmare. Regardless of how Emily thought he was going to react, I knew Jasper would beat himself up over this, and I just hoped that we would be able to make him see reason...and that I could hold him together if he started to fall apart.

All my anxiety made it hard to stay positive, but I tried my best. I focused instead on the fact that I would be seeing him soon after a long week of waiting and wishing. When people finally started coming into the baggage claim area where we were, both Emily and I began searching for Jasper. It was another couple of minutes before his blond curls were visible, and Emily, who had put her arm around my waist, squeezed tight as she said, "There he is!"

I grinned, because in spite of her worries about her brother's reaction, she sounded excited to see him. Jasper looked up, his eyes widening in surprise to find us there, and his gaze flickered between us as if he was trying to figure something out. With a few quick strides, he was in front of us, and Emily extracted herself from me to give her brother a hug. I could tell that she held on tight, and the worried look Jasper shot me told me that he noticed a difference, too. I shook my head and mouthed, "Later; she's okay."

He nodded hesitantly, holding her close for a while until she let go. She smiled up at him and said, "Hey, Spurs, I missed you."

Grinning slightly, he said, "Missed you, too, Lee Lee. Hope you didn't give Edward too hard a time last night?"

Emily shot me an anxious glance, so I said, "Nope, perfect house guest, actually. We had a good time, right, Lee?"

She smiled gratefully, nodding. "Yeah, it was fun hanging out with you and Kate."

Emily stepped aside then, and as soon as she did, the airport seemed to fade away. Jasper moved in front of me, his blue eyes searching mine for something before he wrapped his arms around my shoulders and hugged me tight. He nuzzled my neck, taking several breaths before whispering, "God, I missed you, Princess..."

Something eased inside of me as I held him in my arms again; it almost felt as if I was being wrapped in a warm blanket. That thought made me smile as I murmured, "I missed you, too, Cuddles. You have no idea. I'm glad you're home."

He pulled back just far enough to smile at me and kiss me softly. I could tell that he was holding back, that he wanted to do more than this but would wait until we were alone. Neither one of us wanted to ignore Emily, but I had to fight not to give in to the desire to just kiss the breath out of him.

Emily cleared her throat lightly, and we both looked over at her with matching raised eyebrows. She quirked her own and pointed at her watch, saying, "Sorry to cut this short, you two, but Jasper still needs to get his bag, and then we need to head to class?"

Jasper sighed heavily, hugging me briefly again before letting me go with a grumpy, "Alright, alright..."

I grabbed his hand, which made him smile, and we walked over to pick up his luggage. As we walked, I debated driving home instead of to class. It seemed trivial and almost maddening to have to pretend for several more hours before everything was finally out in the open. I didn't think that catching Emily off guard that way would be a good idea, though, so I sighed and kept walking, lacing my fingers through Jasper's in silent apology.

We were almost back to the car when Emily did a little bounce and walked backwards ahead of us, a grin on her face as she told Jasper about the breakfast we'd brought along for him. I opened the car, and Emily ducked inside to grab the bag while I put Jasper's things in the trunk.

Jasper was peering inside the carrier and looked up at me with raised eyebrows. I grinned, shrugging as Emily said, "Hope you're hungry, Spurs, because those things are good. Edward's not a bad cook, from the look of it. Unless, of course, breakfast is the only thing you know how to do?"

She shot me a sly glance, and I narrowed my eyes playfully at her, my grin belying any seriousness behind the gesture. She chuckled, and Jasper said, "Oh, trust me, little sis, Edward knows his way around the kitchen almost as well as Mama does."

He grinned at me and winked as I grumbled, "Almost, huh?"

He kissed my cheek as he gave me an awkward, one-armed hug, carefully balancing his food in the other hand. "Thanks, baby. You didn't have to do that."

"I didn't...well, I cooked, but Emily put this together for you. Now come on, both of you get in so we can get out of here."

Jasper said, "Yes, sir," with a wry smile that made Emily giggle, and before too long we were on our way to class. He ate as we were driving, asking questions here and there about how things went last night. I was thankful that he had the food to distract him because I was certain that if he'd had his undivided attention on the conversation, he would've noticed Emily looking nervously at me.

As it was, we made it to pottery class with minutes to spare, and Jasper none the wiser. He went to wash his hands as soon as we got inside the building, while Emily greeted Carmen as usual, though I noticed that she hugged her just a little tighter. She whispered softly to Carmen, who squeezed her, murmuring in response. She nodded as she pulled away from Emily, who gave a small smile before walking to her station. I helped her with her apron, rubbing her arms gently in reassurance. When she looked up at me, she nodded again, a look of determination in her eyes.

Jasper walked up behind me, tying my apron as he whispered, "What the hell's going on?"

Turning around, I pecked his lips and murmured, "After class, Jazz. I promise everything's okay and you'll hear all about it...but later, alright?"

He grumbled but conceded. Class itself went the way it usually did, though it felt as if time both dragged on and flew by all at once. I kept getting distracted, glancing over at Jasper and Emily to make sure they were both doing okay. Jasper, in the meantime, kept shooting us furtive glances, with a look of frustration and confusion on his face. I hated putting him through that, but it was what it was, and we'd sit down to talk about it soon enough.

Finally, it was time to clean up. Emily and Carmen had skipped their customary cup of tea, and for once I wasn't the last one working. My attention was too divided between the bowl I was making and the coming conversation to lose myself the way I normally did. When Jasper asked Emily where we were going for lunch, I said, "My place. I'm making us sandwiches."

The look of surprise on Jasper's face would've been comical if I hadn't felt like shit for keeping secrets from him. He didn't ask questions, which was a relief, though he did give both Emily and me a calculating look. We walked wordlessly to the car, Jasper's hand seeking out mine. I smiled, bringing his hand up to my lips and kissing his knuckles, silently thanking him for just going with it.

The drive home was a little awkward, as Emily withdrew into herself and Jasper kept looking from her to me with a worried expression. When we got home, I let Emily go inside first, but Jasper - instead of following her - turned around, preventing me from going in. His eyes searched mine, his jaw clenching a couple of times, and then he said, "Did something happen with you and Emily? Did you two have an argument or something?"

I sighed, cupping his cheek with my hand. "Baby, please, let's go inside. Yes, something happened. No, your sister and I didn't fight. And yes, you will hear all about it. Just...trust me? And go easy on her?"

His frown deepened. "Go easy on her? What do you mean? What aren't you telling me?"

Taking his hand in mine, I squeezed it lightly. "Sweetheart, please, let's sit down? I won't keep anything from you; neither will Lee. But this may take awhile."

Reluctantly, he walked ahead of me, took off his shoes, and then went into the den where Emily was already waiting. She sat on my armchair with her legs pulled up, her arms wrapped tight around her knees. My heart ached for both of them as Jasper took his seat on the couch, facing her. For a moment, I stood undecided as I tried to figure out where to sit. In the end, I opted to sit on the armrest of the couch, next to Jasper, but still close to Emily in case she needed me.

I could almost feel the tension coming off of Jasper, so I put my hand on the nape of his neck, brushing it gently. We sat in silence for a while, until Emily finally took a deep breath, closing her eyes briefly before finding mine. I nodded, and she swallowed hard, turning her attention to Jasper. He sat a little straighter in response, as if sensing that what was coming would not be to his liking.

Emily cleared her throat, her fingers nervously plucking at the sleeve of her shirt as she said, "I broke up with James."

Glancing down at Jasper, I saw the surprise and confusion - as well as relief - on his face. He opened his mouth a couple of times before saying, "That's it? That's what y'all have been so uptight about?" He frowned at Emily. "Out with it, Lee; what aren't you telling me?"

She bit her lip, once again looking to me for reassurance. I mouthed, "Go on," and she nodded.

She closed her eyes, apparently unable to look at her brother as she said, "I was here last night because I called Edward to pick me up. I went to surprise James at work, except I was the one that ended up being surprised..."

Emily told him what had happened the night before, from finding James with his arms around another girl, to calling me, to James trying to pull her into the alleyway, to me stepping in and then taking her home. I could feel Jasper tensing up when he heard that James had tried to hurt her, and his eyes cut to me when Emily described what I'd done, a look of both indignation and gratitude in them.

Jasper's voice was hoarse with emotion as he turned to his sister, asking her if she was okay. She nodded timidly but didn't meet his eyes until he said, "Emily...tell me the truth. Has he hurt you? Ever?"

She hesitated, reluctance clear on her face before she nodded again. I caught Jasper's muttered oath, and so did she. She flinched, blinking tears away rapidly as she whispered, "I'm sorry..."

He was instantly in motion, kneeling down and wrapping his arms around Emily. He cradled her, and I could tell his emotions were running high as I heard him say, "Sorry? Lee Lee, why didn't you tell me before? How long..?" His voice was choked as he broke off, and I saw a shudder pass through his shoulders.

She sniffled, clutching her arms around him as she shifted so her legs weren't in the way. Jasper said, "How long, Lee?"

I moved over to take a seat on the armrest of the chair, rubbing Emily's back in soothing circles as she whispered, "A few weeks...he started acting weird right around the time we started class, actually."

Jasper inhaled sharply, his eyes flashing to mine with hurt and anger both apparent on his face. He managed, "Why didn't you say something when I asked you?"

She shrugged, and her voice was small as she said, "I-I'm sorry...I just...I couldn't...I didn't want you to know...to think less of me for not standing up to him..."

Emily was crying now, and I heard Jasper mutter, "It's my fault...I'm sorry, Lee Lee...I'm so sorry...I should have...I knew something was wrong..."

I placed my hand on his shoulder, squeezing it lightly. When he looked up, I said, "Jasper, don't. What's done is done. It's not your fault, okay?"

He sat up straight, almost glaring at me as he protested, "Yes, it is! I should have seen..." His jaw clenched as he muttered, "No. No, I did see. I knew. I should have protected her!"

I sighed, running my fingers through his hair. I could tell this was hurting him, and that it wasn't just about his feeling of not having protected her. "Jasper...I think you need to tell her."

His eyes widened as he shook his head. He scooted away from us and muttered, "No...I can't..."

Sinking down to the floor so I could be level with Jasper, I took his face between my hands, forcing him to look at me. I spoke quietly, just for his ears. "Jasper, baby, I know you don't want to, but you need to. For both your sakes. She needs to know what happened...to understand. Let her in, Jazz. She needs to know she's not alone and that it's not her fault. She needs her big brother."

His eyes were frantic, going back and forth between mine. His voice was so hoarse I could barely hear him. "How can I tell her...now?"

I wrapped my arms around him, murmuring, "Baby, I'm right here. I'll stay if you want me to, but...you need to do this. She needs you. She needs to know you still love her - like she'll still love you once she understands."

It was breaking my heart to see them both like this, but I was convinced I was right. I knew Emily was afraid to lose her brother and that he was afraid he'd lose her love and respect if she knew the truth. The only way I could see for both of them to move forward, to heal, was for them to finally talk openly about what had happened to them.

I sighed in relief when I felt him nod and whisper, "Please don't leave..."

Kissing him briefly, I smiled sadly and said, "I won't, baby. I'll be right here."

He nodded again and moved to sit back on the couch. He ran his fingers through his hair nervously, looking every which way but at Emily. She, on the other hand, was watching us with concern and confusion. She wiped her face, sniffled once, and said tentatively, "Jasper?"

He looked up then, swallowing hard as she asked, "Do you hate me?"

Her face was stoic, but I could tell it took a lot of effort to keep it that way. Jasper's eyes widened in shock, flickering briefly to mine. I quirked a brow, silently telling him, "See? You need to tell her."

"No, Em, I don't...I couldn't...but you might hate me..."

Emily looked confused for a moment and started to object when Jasper spoke again. She fell quiet as he told her - finally - about what he had been through with Paul. He couldn't look at either of us. He just sat on the couch with hunched shoulders, his hands folded in his lap with his eyes focused on them. His voice broke several times, and he shuddered when I placed a hand on his shoulder in quiet support.

I watched as Emily's face showed horror, pain for her brother, and comprehension as everything was laid out for her. My heart ached hearing his story again, and this time I couldn't help the few tears from slipping down my cheeks, though I did my best to hide it. When Jasper was done, everything was still for protracted seconds, the silence oppressive and almost deafening.

Jasper still hadn't looked up when Emily moved to sit next to him. He refused to meet her eyes as she leaned in, awkwardly hugging him. "Why didn't you ever tell me? I never knew...I didn't understand why you never called, why you wouldn't come home for Christmas that first year...Oh, Spurs..."

I wrapped my arms around both of them as well as I could reach and kissed the crown of Jasper's head. We sat like that for a while, and I couldn't help my smile when I felt Jasper move to put an arm around Emily, his hand reaching for my shoulder.

Eventually, Emily started talking about what James had done, and I had a hard time keeping my composure, as both Emily and Jasper continued to take the blame for what had happened to them - as well as what had happened to the other. I finally excused myself, stating that I would make those sandwiches I'd promised so they could have a moment alone.

When I got to the kitchen, I automatically pulled everything out I would need for lunch and started preparing roast beef and turkey sandwiches. When I was finished, I simply stood at the counter, leaning heavily on it with my hands, my head bowed low as I fought to keep from crying. I ached for them, and I wanted to help them, to make them both see how none of it was their fault, but I had no idea how to get through to them.

I must have been gone longer than I thought because Jasper was suddenly behind me, and I started when I felt his hand tentatively touch me between my shoulder blades. He rested his hip against the counter next to me, and I had to squeeze my eyes shut to keep my composure as he whispered, "Edward, are you alright?"

Taking a shuddering breath, I nodded. Even with everything that was going on, how much Jasper was hurting himself, and how worried and upset he was about what had happened to Emily, he still made sure I was okay. I turned to face him and wrapped my arms tightly around him, nuzzling his neck as I tried to keep myself in check.

The urge to tell him was stronger now than ever before, and when I felt him trying to soothe me, I knew I had to let him know. I couldn't not say it anymore - I had to let him see how I felt about him. He needed to understand that I loved him, even with everything that had happened - that I wouldn't leave, or think less of him, or...any of that.

I pulled back to look at him; the mixture of emotions I saw in his eyes strengthened my resolve. This wasn't romantic or the way I'd imagined telling him for the first time, but this felt like the right time. Placing both hands on his cheeks to hold him in place, I took a deep breath. Kissing him chastely, I smiled and whispered, "I'm fine, baby. More than fine. I'm so proud of you...you're so strong. I know how hard it was for you to tell Emily what happened to you."

He watched me in silence, his eyes filled with confusion and pain and affection and something beautiful that I wasn't sure I'd ever really seen there - hope. My quiet smile grew softer as I kissed him again and then pulled back to murmur, "I love you, Jasper..."

His eyes widened and he opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off with another kiss before shaking my head. "Don't, please. I just needed you to know, Jazz. You don't have to say those words right now. In fact, I don't want you to. I need you to tell me because you mean it and feel it, too, not because you think you have to. And if you don't, it won't change how I feel for you, baby. I realize you have things to work through...and that you may not be where I'm at yet... That's okay. I can wait."

My thumbs brushed his cheekbones as I calmed myself, cutting off my babbling before I added, "You're worth waiting for, Jasper."

He swallowed several times, his eyes searching mine for what felt like ages before he finally nodded, kissing me hard. After several minutes, he pulled back just far enough to rest his forehead against mine. He closed his eyes, and I thought I saw a smile ghosting his lips as he whispered, "Thank you..."