All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer. Sadly the last TGUT Tuesday :(

Lead Me to You

We took the town to town last night.
We kissed like we invented it!
And now I know what every step is for:
to lead me to your door.
Mirrorball - Elbow

Jasper Whitlock, he hadn't been living here my whole life like Rosalie and Emmett, but we had so much in common. He was easy to talk to, funny and so very caring. He hated to see anyone around him suffering, but I think he was the person that was suffering the most.

It had been two years since his family moved in to the beautiful old English style cottage at the edge of town, and we had been inseparable since. We did pretty much everything together. Yet friends was our limit.

He was dating Lauren Mallory currently, yet he couldn't stand her. They broke up as much as they were together. They were chalk and cheese. Oil and Water. They just didn't mesh well, but his father insisted that he keep her happy so that their social standing could improve.

Being new to this, his dad sure did fit in well.

Jasper hated this lifestyle and I couldn't really blame him. It had taken him a while to fit in and even now he and my brother had constant battles of wit. There was a pissing contest every other day. Still, even as annoying as Edward could be, he never drove Jasper to the point Lauren or Mr. Whitlock did.

Jasper, when frustrated, had a habit of just disappearing for hours on end. No one knew where he went or what he did, but Emmett had said that he always came back bruised. I was biding my time, waiting for him to get exasperated at Lauren or his Dad so I could finally see where he went to release all of the frustration.

It just so happened today was the the very day I would get the chance.

I could hear Lauren's nasally voice from a mile away. Her signature pout was on display for all to see and I could see Jasper's mental eye roll. Mainly because he physically did it when someone brought up her name.

"Come on, Jasper," Lauren whined, dragging out the on so it sounded like nails on a chalkboard.

"No, Lauren. I already told you, no more double dates with your snooty ass friends. I have nothing in common with those guys."

"Then you have nothing in common with me. You do realize that you're going to do it anyway, don't you? It's what I want, you have to keep me happy." Her long talons stabbed him in the chest before she spun on her heel and marched away down the hall.

Jasper slammed his locker shut, the metallic crash echoing down the corridor as his body turned, thumping his back against it. I could almost feel his frustration from where I was stood. It was like a physical being, stifling and heady. His hands gripped the roots of his hair as his foot pounded against the locker behind him.

This was what I hated to see, this was the real Jasper. When he thought no one was looking his pain seemed to ebb from him, leaking from his very pores. I knew that he'd had a hard time before he moved here, that life was far from perfect, but I also knew he was happier there. This pseudo life he was living now just seemed to make things so much worse. It was slowly turning him into a ghost.

"Fuck this shit."

Jasper pushed off the wall of lockers, his heavy footfalls echoing through the empty corridor like small claps of thunder. For a split second I was hesitant. I knew I should give him his small amount of freedom, let him vent out his frustration without having me tagging along; but this was the only part of him I didn't know. He was my best friend, and I wanted to do what I could for him.

I followed him out of the school, the emptying lot made it easy to hide from him. It wasn't as though he didn't know my car. He'd been at my sixteenth birthday party when my parents had given me my Yukon. I just had to keep a safe distance from his Dad's old Ford Explorer.

I tried to avoid the sea of bodies as they made their way to their cars and buses, my eyes trained on the deep red of the SUV. I still knew it was wrong to follow him, I knew it wasn't my place to tail him like some Nancy Drew know it all. I just wanted to know he was safe, I wanted to know that whatever he was doing to release all of this tension wouldn't, or couldn't hurt him more than a couple of bruises.

He hammered the gas the moment he was out of town, I could see he was speeding, and I was falling further behind by the second. If I wanted to keep him in my line of sight I would have to speed up a bit more. I still wasn't a hundred percent confident with driving, and the twists and turns of these forest highways terrified me, but I had to do this for him, I had to quash my curiosity before it got the better of me.

We drove for a while, through the rain that made it through the canopy of trees and onto the highway. His car was spitting up rain in the tread, but I was far enough away to not be affected by it, thankfully. I had enough to contend with, I didn't need visual impairment added to the list.

I saw the signs for La Push long before I saw any buildings. The trees started to thin along the highway as the brine smell of the sea flooded my car. I'd only ever come to La Push with my friends in the Summer, we normally headed down to third beach because the locals would be on the coveted first beach. I didn't mind sharing, but Lauren, Jessica and sometimes Rosalie insisted. They didn't want people staring at them.

Jasper pulled off the main highway before he ever reached town though. It was a small dirt road that lead to a building sat back against the trees. It looked like a small community center, broken down and slightly rickety. The siding was off color and had gaps where some of it had come loose, yet it still looked cared for. The grass was neatly mowed, and from where I was I could see the sign looked relatively new.

I tried to hang back as far as I could. I tried not to be seen, but it was useless. Jasper had caught me, and had probably known I was following him from the moment we left Forks. He waved me forwards, his brow less severe than it had been when he'd left the school. In fact, he almost looked amused.

I hit the gas and drove towards him, pulling to a stop next to his car and offering a sheepish smile as he walked towards the drivers side door. I had been right, he was amused, and I could now see the genuine smile as he tapped on my window.

"I'm so sorry," I squeaked, as the window opened. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I wasn't trying to follow you."

Jasper laughed as he folded his arms on the window, his torso leaning in. I could see his eyes sparkling and the unsung laugh in his throat resonating as he spoke to me. "I would avoid a career in espionage, Al. You're crap at it."

"Yeah, well I wasn't following you remember."

"Why don't I believe you?" he asked grinning.

"Shut up. I saw you arguing with Lauren. I just wanted to make sure you were alright."

"You just can't resist my body."

"Ew, Jasper. That's wrong on so many levels."

Jasper threw his head onto his forearms as he laughed. I rolled my eyes, trying to maintain the position of steely indignation at his accusation, but it was useless. His laughter was contagious and in turn, it made me unwillingly join in. Unmasking the horrible attempt at lying.

"Fine, I was following you, but I just wanted to know where you went. You've been my best friend since you got here, and it's the only thing I don't know about you."

"There was an easier way to find out, Al," he offered, his laughter finally subsiding. I looked at him and cocked a brow in question. "You could have asked me."

"Come on, Jasper. That's too easy, and I really don't think you would have told me anyway."

"Why? It's nothing bad. I just don't want my dad finding out."

"Your dad?" I questioned. It was an unusual statement for him to make. His dad really didn't pay much attention to Jasper unless he thought he was doing something wrong. Their relationship hadn't been all that good to begin with, and it seemed to steadily decline with every conversation they had. Quite impressive considering the Whitlocks spent more and more time out of town.

"Do you remember the conversation you and I had about the first time he hit me?"

"Yeah, he was upset that you quit your boxing classes or something."

Jasper smiled at me and waited until the connection finally dawned on me. He was boxing again. It made sense and explained the bruises, but he'd also said that he'd hated doing it.

"I know what you're thinking, Al. I did hate it, but without my Dad hanging over my shoulder every second, I find it liberating. He always said I had a natural talent," Jasper huffed and pushed back from the car. "If only he knew he was the one thing holding me back."

"Who do you fight with? Or do you just train?"

"A kid called Embry Call from the reservation. His grandfather has been training him, happy to have someone to fight against I think. The bag doesn't fight back."

"So this is where all the bruises come from?"

"I knew it!" Jasper said, stepping back from the window. "You want my body! You're obsessed."

"Cut it out, Jazz. I enjoyed my lunch the first time, it won't be so pleasant the next time around."

"You're in denial."

"You're a meat head."

"WHITLOCK!"

Jasper stepped to the side, looking over the hood of my car and smiling at his friends. I could see two boys approaching, both of them were Stretch Armstrong's, and had to be over six foot easily.

"Embry, Jake. Thanks for coming up," Jasper called walking to the front of the car, his familiar smile plastered on his face. He seemed to exude comfort here with these boys, something I only ever seen when it was just the two of us hanging out. It was nice to know I wasn't the only one he could be like that with.

He looked back at me and cocked his head, a laugh just brimming under the surface. Two years of sarcasm and I knew his looks. He wanted me to get out of the car. Thing was, now I knew the big secret I didn't want to. Yet, I had to.

I wound up my window and pulled the keys out of the ignition with a sigh. Had I known it was some testosterone fueled masculinity thing I wouldn't have followed him, but in my defense he hadn't exactly been forthcoming about the whole thing either.

I pushed open my car door and slid out, pushing the door closed behind me before heading towards the three boys who were now laughing and talking amongst themselves.

"Guys, say hello to my little friend," he laughed his elbow resting on my shoulder. "This is Alice. Alice, this is Embry and Jacob."

"Hey guys," I offered with a smile, shrugging out from under Jasper's arm. "Good to meet you."

The guy called Jacob looked me up and down and smiled with amusement. He was damn lucky he was cute, because I knew what was coming next.

"You can say it." I prompted.

"Say what?" Jacob asked innocently. Jasper and Embry snickered quietly beside us.

"I've been this tall since I was twelve, I think I've heard every prose there is concerning my height. Just spit it out, I'm a big girl, I can handle it."

All three of the guys broke into laughter at my choice of words. I rolled my eyes and stepped through them, making my way to the door. This was why I hadn't had a boyfriend in a while, they were all so immature.

"Ali, don't be mad," Jasper laughed, still trying to regain composure.

"I'm not mad, Jackass. I'm bored. Anyway, it's not my fault your friends look like their Harry's relatives. Maybe the Henderson's can fit them in too."

Another wave of laughter seemed to spill out of the boys as they headed towards me and the door I was now holding open for them. I was biting back the smile that was threatening to come. I had never been a stone cold bitch like Lauren or Jess, but sometimes I liked to pretend.

"Glad I amuse you."

I followed them into the big hall that had a ton of exercise equipment littering the area, but the most prevalent thing was the ring set up in the middle. It was the focal point of the room, everything else simply fit around it.

It seemed odd that it would be that way. Jasper had made it sound as though Embry was the only one in the village that did this. Maybe I had misunderstood him. He and Embry disappeared into what I assumed was the locker room, so I followed Jacob to the stack of ugly blue mats piled up by the ring.

"Do you box, Jacob?"

"I train," he said, sitting down and leaning back on one elbow. "But I don't get in the ring often, kinda partial to my teeth. The only guy I'm in the same weight class with is Paul, and he quit a while back, so I just work out here with the other guys."

I sat down next to him and pulled my knees up under my chin, the hand closest to him started picking at a small hole in the mat we were sat on. I liked the way he talked, the warm husky tone of his voice was almost mesmerizing to me. He was also easy on the eyes. Being this close to him I could see how flawless his russet skin was as it moved over the strong jaw and cheek bones, the way his lips moved and formed the words. Then there were his eyes. I had no idea that eyes could be that expressive, they were dark brown around the pupil and lightened as they bridged out, small flecks of darker and lighter colors weaving in and out of them. Even his dark hair was beautiful.

"So, you just workout and watch?"

"That's about the gist of it," he laughed, his long leg lifting up and coming to rest on the edge of the mat.

I was far too aware of this guy. I hadn't realized that each one of his movements had caught my attention until I found my eyes moving up his leg slowly towards his . . . I looked up at his face, my cheeks warm after catching myself.

"So what are you doing here? You thinking of making a weight class for the little people."

He was also infuriating.

"No. I followed Jasper to make sure he was alright."

For a fleeting second Jacob looked disappointed, and I felt the need to clarify my intent, not to mention my relationship with Jasper.

"He's my best friend, he had a fight with his girlfriend." I shrugged. "Figured he needed someone to talk to."

"He's still dating Lauren? I thought he broke it off?"

"He did, but they're back together. It's a long story, and it's really not my place to talk about it. I just wanted to make sure he was ok."

"You said that already," Jacob chuckled, his head turning so he was looking directly at me. His eyes were alight with something I couldn't identify, but I wanted to find out. I wanted to know everything there was to know about him. I felt so inexplicably drawn to him being this close.

"So do you have a boyfriend, Alice?"

"No, I was dating a jackass a while back, but he made out with the school gossip and it got back to me in record time, so I figured it would be best to not . . . date?"

Why I ended it in a question was beyond me, why I started to spew out my sad non existent love life was even more perplexing. Sure, I found Jacob nice to look at, but was I attracted to him? I knew the answer to that the moment his face lit up with my statement, mainly because my heart fluttered wildly in my chest.

I was attracted to Jacob.

I wanted him.

How the hell did that happen?

"I'm sorry to hear that, but his loss is my gain."

My eyes flickered to Jacob's as my heart no longer fluttered but hammered in my chest. His cocky confidence was strangely endearing. It was something I would normally mock, and here I was batting my eyelashes at him.

"Confident aren't you!"

Jacob laughed, shifting slightly so his body was angled towards me. He really was handsome, and his perfectly proportioned body was astounding. My fingers fiddled a little more with the hole in the mat as a comfortable silence hung between us. My eyes watched as my fingers picked, because I really had no idea where I should look.

I liked him, and the snob in me was already going through scenarios that could never happen. It was a conflict with my heart though, because this short encounter had me wanting more. It was filling me with questions about everything.

The most prevalent question was, could this really work if I wanted it?

Yes, it could, and that was only more obvious when his large, warm hand covered mine. Stilling it from picking at the exposed padding of the ugly blue mat.

I lifted my eyes to once again meet his. He was smiling again, a cocky, confident smile that showed the rows of perfectly white teeth standing out in contrast to the warm color of his skin.

"What are you thinking about so hard?"

"Nothing and everything all at the same time."

"Sounds deep."

I laughed once. "It's actually very shallow."

A thud, coming from the ring in the center of the room, averted my attention from Jacob. Jasper was laid on his back, his gloved hand over his nose. I hadn't even realized they'd started.

Apparently being aware of this guy made everything else dissolve in my consciousness. I didn't even know how long we'd been sat there talking.

Jasper groaned and rolled to the side, his glove still covering most of his face as he rolled to his knees.

"Jasper, are you alright?"

Jasper stood up and bounced a couple times before hanging over the ropes closest to me. He smiled before spitting out his mouth guard into the huge palm of the glove.

"You don't have to stay and watch this Al, go home. I promise I'll call you later."

"But . . ."

"It's only going to get worse. It's a violent sport and you really don't need to be here. Trust me ok."

I nodded, I never really liked violence all that much anyway, so watching my best friend fight some giant Quileute kid, really wasn't going to do anything for my nerves.

"I'll talk to you later, Jazz. Nice meeting you, Embry."

Embry nodded and bounced a little more, pulling his hands up in front of his face to defend himself. I looked over to Jacob and smiled. Inexplicably, I had a sense of loss coursing through me. Could this guy have had such an impact on me already?

"It was nice meeting you too, Jake."

I slid to the edge of the mat and pushed myself up. I knew I should go, ignore everything I felt and move on, but there was an overwhelming sadness with the thought. Jacob seemed like such a sweet guy, one I knew I would probably get along great with, but the Masen in me was fighting it, and I hated myself for it.

"Hey, Alice." I stopped and turned around in time to see Jacob getting up from the mats. His long body stretching to his full height so he towered above me. "I'll walk you out."

He sidled up beside me so I had to look up at him. He had to be at least six foot four.

"Thanks," I grinned looking down and towards the door.

We walked in relative silence. Our bodies so close I could almost feel his body heat tickling the exposed skin on the back of my hand. I was so conflicted; so torn as to what I should do. He'd made it perfectly obvious that he was interested, and I knew that I reciprocated, but there were so many things to factor in. Things that I was currently ignoring because he was so close and completely distracting me.

Like a perfect gentleman he held the door open for me, letting me step out into the cool afternoon wind. The rain was coming down a little heavier now, the earlier mist had progressed into full thick drops that fell from the sky.

"You don't have to get all wet" I said quietly. pulling my keys out from my pocket. "I'll make a mad dash to the car."

"It's nice."

"What the rain?"

"No, your car," he laughed, stepping out from the small awning and into the rain.

"Thanks, my parents got it for me for my birthday."

"Nice parents."

"Not really," I sighed, hitting the clicker on the keys and unlocking the doors. "Get in."

We both ran out into the rain towards the car, our doors opening in perfect synchronization before we pulled them closed behind us. The new car smell still linger in here, the leather seats still stiff and squeaky.

"It's beautiful."

"I like it, not what I would have picked for myself, but I wouldn't trade it for the world."

"It actually suits you."

I laughed quietly.

"What's so funny?"

"My brother says it's like a tea cup yorkie running around in the body of a great dane."

Jacob laughed again, this time with me as we fell into easy conversation, about everything and nothing. Jacob had a sarcastic sense of humor that kept me constantly smiling. I was enjoying every second I was spending with him, making fun of some of the Forks girls that came down, the arrogant asses that would drive their expensive cars too fast through the village and expect the same treatment from the police in La Push as they got in Forks.

We talked about movies, music and books. School, our friends, where we wanted to go to college. The things we liked to do in our spare time. I learned that he rebuilt old engines in his garage, I told him about my love of architecture and he actually sat and listened to me go on about the landmarks I wanted to see in Europe.

Before we knew it, darkness was closing in on us, and Jasper and Embry emerged from the community center all smiles and laughter. Jasper smiled sarcastically at me before saying goodbye to Embry and climbing into his car.

Embry stood under the awning, pulling on his jacket as he gave Jacob a nod. It seemed our time together had sadly come to an end. Jacob lifted his index finger at Embry before turning to me and giving me his award winning smile.

"Can I get your number, Alice. I would love to call you."

There were the butterflies again. That tugging in my stomach that made me feel so elated, the slight dizziness that made me feel giddy. It seemed that my heart had won the battle with my head, there was no doubt anymore.

There was also no denying him. No denying this chemistry we had with one another, because it was there, it was like electricity pulsing through the air, and I wanted it more than I had ever wanted anything else. Giving him my number was something I was more than happy about.

I pulled a pen and an old receipt from my center console and jotted down my number to my cell, my excitement made my writing almost illegible but the numbers were clear and that's all he needed. I could have given him the line to my room, but that would show on the others phones giving everyone access to the call. This way, he wouldn't have to be questioned by my brother or parents, he would get straight through to me whenever he wanted to talk, and I was beginning to hope that would be often.

"Can I call you tonight?"

"I would like that," I smiled, knowing that I meant it.

Jacob leaned over the console and smiled, pulling the small piece of paper from my hand. My body exploded into a myriad of tingles and shivers as he neared me. I could smell his woodsy scent stronger than ever this close to him, I could feel my heartbeat in my temples as I breathed him in. He consumed me.

I wanted to say more, I wanted to do more, but I was frozen to the spot, drinking in the perfect golden skin of his neck stretching gently over his muscles as it gave way to his strong jaw. The only sound I could hear was the pounding of my heart, mingled with the gentle tapping of the rain on the roof of the car.

"Alice," he whispered, his warm breath caressing my cheek gently. My breathing picked up the moment his voice sank in to my subconscious. It could have been my imagination, but there was so much wanting and need in his voice. If only I could convey that, show him how I felt with one simple word, but I never got the chance.

I looked up at him, but before I could drink him in or articulate a word, his lips were on mine warm and soft. His hand moved to my cheek, cupping my face as his tongue ran along my bottom lip. Warmth spread through me, my blood turned to fire in my veins as I fell into him, fell into the moment. I knew exactly what he wanted and without thought parted my own lips, dragging in air as we deepened the kiss.

He seemed to be everywhere, his heat, his breath, and his body. Our tongues danced in unison, as though they had been made for one another, pushing our need and desperation as we clung to one another.

Had I been standing; my legs would have given way and I would have been on the ground trying to recover from the most amazing kiss of my life, but as it was, I was sat down, my legs shaking gently as my fingers gripped the front of his shirt pulling him closer.

I could have stayed like that for a lifetime, drinking him in. The feel of his lips on mine was like nothing I had ever experienced before. They were satin smooth and warm, forming around mine perfectly, even in the awkward position of leaning over the console.

It was perfect. He was perfect. I never wanted it to end.

We only broke apart when Embry's cheering and catcalls moved to his hands slamming on the hood with wolf whistles and cheering. Jacob flipped him the bird while my cheeks flooded with warmth at having an audience. Not that I cared all that much. For a kiss like that, I would gladly have an audience if it was the only way I could get it.

"Sorry," he chuckled, his hand cupping my neck as his thumb brushed over the apple of my cheek. "I just couldn't help myself."

"I'm not complaining."

"I noticed," he laughed, leaning forward and pressing his lips to mine again. "I'll call you tonight?"

I nodded, it was all I was capable of. Jacob Black had swept me off my feet and I knew I was undoubtedly his for as long as he would have me.

A/N: Thank you so much for reading. I hope that this did the last chapter Justice. Alice was so fun to play with. I love her vibrancy and honesty. She just seems to know what she wants when it all falls into place.

Thank you so much to miztrezboo, bendingmirrors, and cravingtwilight, for all of their support throughout this fic. You gals are amazing and I wouldn't know what I would do without you.

To each and every one of you that read, added to your favorite or alerts and reviewed. You have all made this so amazing and I have no idea how to thank you for it. Every week you have been there putting a smile on my face, no matter what the characters were getting up to, and I love each and every one of you for it :)

And in a moment of shameless self promotion lol, I will start posting my new fic next Tuesday.

Much love and HUGE HUGZ
~Weezy.