Disclaimer: I don't own it.

Friday

Jasper's POV

I was finally going home. The one place I knew I should be. The one place I belonged.

"Are you ready to go?" Maria asked from behind me as she laced her fingers around my shoulders. Her long black hair tickled my arms where it touched and I suddenly remembered that I had never liked long hair.

"As ready as I'll ever be." I sighed as I looked in the hall mirror.

"Then let's go." My fiancé laughed as she picked up the handle of her suitcase and rolled it behind her out the front door of my apartment. She added begrudgingly, " Texas here we come."

I'm coming home I thought before shutting the door behind me and locking it.

I settled into my seat on the airplane for the long ride back to Texas. Maria was busy chattering next to me on her cell phone, making arrangements here in New York I could only assume, so I let my mind wander as I stared out the window at the early morning light.

Fritch had been my home since I was born. Actually it had been the home of the Whitlock's since before the town was even founded. My great grandpa Orville Whitlock had been the first settler in the town, and he was the main reason we still resided there. I hadn't minded Fritch. I used to spend every summer with my best friend Bella and when Rosalie moved in, she joined us. It was a small town where everyone knew everyone else's names, and your parents knew everything you did. I had loved Fritch and everything about it. My older brother Gideon, hadn't.

I had just turned eighteen when he convinced me to move in with him in the big apple. I hadn't been too keen on the idea at all, but after my parents were sold on the idea, I knew I had no choice. So reluctantly I had packed my bags and left behind the people who mattered most to me. I had kept in contact with them for all of two weeks before my life got too busy, even for me. I had thought that pushing them out of my life would make it easier for me, the less I had to lose, the less it would hurt. They continued to try and stay in touch with me constantly, until finally the contact dwindled to nothing. I haven't heard from anyone, not even my family, in almost two years. I was going home now to announce my engagement to my family and to introduce them to Maria. I couldn't wait to see Bella again. Or Rosalie. I had missed them more than anything ever since I left, and only now did I feel the need to be with them again. There was also someone else on my mind. Someone I hadn't talked to since before I even left Fritch. Someone who had meant the world to me then. The same person who held my heart.

"Jasper?" Maria pulled me out of my reverie as she snapped her fingers in front of my face demandingly.

"Yes?"

"I said, Gideon left a message that said that his meeting is delayed and that he won't be able to make this flight."

"Oh. Alright."

"Are you nervous?" She purred in my ear and again her long hair tickled my arms as it brushed across it.

"No. Why would I be?" I tried to hide the edge to my voice but as I stared at the beautiful woman in front of me, I could only think of one person. The person I had left broken and torn back home. The person who would never forgive me. No matter how hard I pleaded.

"Your fiancé is meeting your family and you aren't nervous?" Maria laughed a nasally laugh and threw her head back. I squirmed my arm out of her grasp as her hair moved along the length of my arm.

"Flight attendants, prepare for take off." The pilots voice said over the speaker and I sighed in relief as I turned my attention back out of the window, to La Guardia airport. I felt the butterflies in my stomach kick up a notch and I took a deep breath trying to calm myself. I couldn't wait to get back, of course I loved New York but the places and the faces were getting old. I needed something familiar, something I had been waiting to see, something I knew I could only get in one place.

"So what colors do you want the napkins to be Jasper?" Maria asked as she held out a ring of swatches in front of her.

"Whatever color you want sweetie." I said in what I hoped wasn't a dry tone.

"Well I was thinking champagne, but I also like sand stone beige. Of course we could always go with this light golden rod or..."

I settled back in my seat as Maria flipped through the swatches. I tried to pay attention but the only thing my mind would let me think about was my raven haired angel and the last time I had seen her.

(Flashback)

"God, I love you so much Alice." I said as I collapsed on top of her, trying to keep my weight from hurting her tiny body.

"I love you too Jazz." She whispered in my ear and her breath sent shivers down my spine.

I kissed her beautiful lips again and I felt my heart clench. I had yet to tell her that I had to leave. I couldn't bear to do it the last time we were together. I closed my eyes as I felt the pain shoot through my body at the thought of what I had to do. I was a coward. I had been putting this off for a week now. Making Bella, Rose and Edward swear that they wouldn't tell her before I could. They had been hounding me about doing it for the past couple of days and I had promised them I would tonight. But as I looked down at the girl below me, I just couldn't force the words out of my mouth.

"Jazz?" Alice said quietly as she looked into my eyes, her brow furrowed. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." I tried to cover quickly but I knew it was too late. Alice would know. She always knew.

"Jasper David Whitlock" She scolded as she pulled her tiny body out of my arms. I tried to hold tight to her but she slid easily from my grasp. "Tell me. Now."

There were no options in her tone. I took a deep steadying breath. It would do me no good to cry now. Not when she would be bound to do that enough for the two of us. More than enough most likely.

"I'm leaving."

"What do you mean?" Her eyes were wide as she sat up.

"I mean that Gid wants me to go live with him. Finish up school and then go to college there."

"And you're going?" Her tone was accusing and as much as I didn't want to, I snapped.

"Yes Alice. I'm going. I have to go, my parents think it's best. Besides, there's nothing good here for me anyway."

Her face looked like I had just slapped her and she stood up, holding the sheet tight around her as she walked into my bathroom. She shut the door and came out in a matter of seconds. One of my t-shirts was covering her body, it looked like she was wearing a dress. She had on her black flip flops and tears were running down her face.

"Alice wait. What's wrong?" I jumped out of bed and ran to her side, taking her arm in my hand.

"I'm going home Jasper." She said through clenched teeth as she shook my hand off. "Go. Have fun in New York City. Maybe you'll find something good there for you."

She didn't wait for me to answer as she pushed me back. Her tiny hands on my chest hadn't been enough to actually move me but I stumbled back at the tone in her voice and the look in her eyes. I didn't go after her.

(End of Flashback)

That day still haunted my dreams. I had called Bella as soon as I regained conscious control of my body. She promised to go check on Alice but I wouldn't let her come to me. I deserved this pain, by hurting the one person I couldn't live without. I left soon after that. Bella came to say good bye to me and she cried as she kissed my cheek and wished me luck. I knew Edward and Rose were mad at me for leaving, but I had hoped they would have said goodbye to me. Knowing that I had hurt them, was almost as bad as knowing that I had hurt Alice.

I didn't bother trying to stay in contact with them. It hurt to much to think about them and I had moved to New York, finally letting myself start over again. I became the person I knew I had never wanted to be. Someone who wasn't a coward, someone who wasn't afraid of hurting others, someone who wasn't me.

"Please return your seats to their upright positions and..." I sighed in relief and did as the speaker asked. My body told me what my mind was trying not to. I was glad to be home. I was anxious to see everyone. I was so close. So close, yet still, so far.

A/N: I've never done Flashbacks before sorry if they were choppy and stilted.
Besos.