To Love and To Be Loved (A Jasper Hale/ Whitlock Love Story)

Living

We had thought of it as a 'surprise', though we both joked that with Alice in the family, there's no such thing.

So we pulled up to the house and Jasper shut the car off.

I winced slightly when again, the little 'something' showed its face for a moment, and Jasper reached over, squeezing my knee.

"You ready?" his voice was low and almost seductive as he almost whispered it in my ear, and I turned to face him. He was so unaware of the way he effected me, and I didn't even care as I kissed him deeply.

"With you, I'm ready for anything," I whispered, and he kissed me again before pulling away and smiling at me. I heard everyone filing out to the porch, and I giggled, taking a breath and pushing this something back again. "We'd better get going."

"Yes ma'am," I giggled again as I gathered my bag and Jasper opened my door for me before I could reach for it.

"Perfect gentleman, as always," I sent him a little wink, and he grinned at me.

"Auntie Ellie?" My head snapped toward the sound, and I let out an excited laugh when I saw her standing there with her proud parents and (of course) her imprinter. I felt that 'something' begin to surface again, but I just couldn't help it. She ran to me, and I crouched down, pulling her into my arms and feeling tears prick at my eyes as I twirled her around.

She placed her hand on my cheek, and I saw all the excitement of the previous one-and-a-half months. She asked me why we came back early.

"We wanted to visit you all, little one," I told her with a little laugh. "Renesme, you're not so little anymore, I'm going to have to think of a new nickname," I breathed, placing her back down on the ground and putting my hands on her cheeks. "My goodness, you've grown so much..." I looked to Jasper and pulled him forward. "Jasper, look at how beautiful she is," I breathed, looking back to her, and he smiled.

"My my little miss, look at you."

"Uncle Jazz," she giggled, reaching for him and he picked her up, taking my hand as we walked up to the others grinningly. I had to force the issue with myself back down again as it tried to burst through, feeling like a family with Jazz making my heart sing.

Immediately, we were pulled into hug after hug, everyone excited to have us back.

"Did you use your journals?" Alice demanded before I even got to greet half the family.

"Yes, Alice, I did," I reassured her.

"Did you record everything?"

"Everything," I agreed, handing her my bag.

We all made our way inside, and Renesme took ahold of my hand, sitting on my lap once I sat on the couch, Jasper right next to me, his arm slung over my shoulder.

"So how was it?" Esme asked happily.

"Wonderful," I admitted. "We're hoping to go to Chile soon, though, to finish the trip, but... we were a little homesick."

"Where did you guys go?" father asked, sitting on my other side.

"So many places," I admitted. "There were a few friends I had been hoping to stop and see, but the world's just too big. We've already made a list of places we want to re-visit." I smiled at Jasper, whose eyes hadn't left me, and I had to take a breath and detatch myself a bit. This wasn't a conversation I wanted to have yet, but Jasper was making it quite difficult.

"What was your favorite place?" Bella asked, and I shifted Renesme slightly, looking to Jasper, who looked just as thoughtful.

"I'm not sure," I admitted. "Do you have one in mind?"