Delayed Posting.

This week's update has been delayed due to real life time constraints. Rest assured, it will be up as soon as humanly possible.

Please be patient with me!

koko

A picture for your heartstrings.

Happy Armed Forces Day, my American friends.

Jasper is a fictional character, so this clearly isn't him. But, if you want to get your head around some of the reasons he is the way he is, take a long look at this picture.

I've had some negative reviews over the last few weeks, but when I see images like this, I remember why I started this story.

Koko.

This week in questions.

Happy Friday, people!

This week, the teaser wasn't ready for public viewing. Instead, I decided to take questions from my readers...ie...you lot. As I was reading through them, it became apparent that the same questions were popping up again and again. So, I decided to post them on here, along with the answers.

Also, some people asked questions in unsigned reviews, leaving me unable to answer them directly. I hope you find this interesting. As I said in my AN, I'll answer anything if it doesn't involve a spoiler!

Some questions were asked several times in different ways, so if you're looking at this and thinking 'Hey, I can't see my question...' It probably is here, just not in the exact words you asked it.

Here we go...

Where the hale is Rosalie?

The million dollar question, huh? But, not for much longer. The next two chapters will hopefully resolve some of those issues. I can't promise that it will be easy, or, that everything will suddenly be okay between them...but I can guarantee Rosalie will be back in the story over the next few weeks.

I miss Emmett...I want to know how he's doing. He must be having a really rough time.

Good news. Emmett is up in the very next chapter and he's going to tell us exactly how he feels!

Is Jasper ever going to be happy?

Not sure. I never promised a HEA. At the moment, I'm concentrating on persuading him to want to try.

Does Jasper know Alice has been talking to Charlotte?

Yes. There was no reason for Alice to hide it from him. He's not happy that Charlotte is worried about him, but he appreciates the support she's giving Alice.

How did Jasper spend Veterans Day, and how will he spend Memorial Day?

Jasper met Alice on her birthday, November 15th. He spent Veterans Day on a transatlantic flight. He was happy with that, he wanted to avoid it entirely.

It's currently the end of April...(chapter 44...) so I couldn't possible comment on how he'll spend Memorial Day...

When did Jasper lose his virginity?

He was fifteen...that's all I'm saying.

Will Jasper ever fully recover from his injuries?

No. He'll never be the same again.

Will Jasper ever talk about what Tom Hale did to him?

Probably not. Later on, you'll realise, it really is the least of his worries.

How many people has Alice slept with?

Really? Is that what's important to you? A few...she wasn't kidding when she said she went a little wild in college. But, if you remember a little while back, she told Jasper she hadn't been with anyone since Laurent.

She's not innocent, by any means...but then, neither is Jasper. His lifestyle allowed him to have his fun with no commitments. He's never treated a woman badly, mind you :)

Is Maria going to show up?

No. Jasper has no freaky ex. See above for further detail.

Will Alice get to meet Charlotte?

I would imagine so, although I can't promise that the circumstances will be happy...

Can you write some more smutty outtakes?

Maybe, but not for a while.

Are they going to have sex in the hospital?

No. Aside from the fact Jasper is too sick, they both have more class than that.

What are you going to write next?

Chapter 57.

How long is Take My Hand?

Very. It will be around 65 chapters by my current estimate.

Is Calliope going to contribute anything else?

Yes! *squeals*

**********************************************************************

That's it so far... keep them coming!

Until next time...

koko.

Jasper the Ninja.

Okay, a lot of you picked up on Jasper's acrobatics in chapter 41, so I decided to elaborate a little. Jasper taught himself most of his skills, including kick boxing and acrobatics, but when he joined the army, he met a Brazilian guy called 'Manny.'

Manny taught him how to integrate these skills into Capoeira. Over the years, Jasper became very good at it and it was something he enjoyed. He lost contact with Manny, but there was another South American in his team in Iraq...'Rafi' and he used to spar with him.

Pete didn't practice Capoeira, his fighting skills were less refined and it was rare that he got the better of Jasper.

Jasper didn't use Capoeira for fighting, really. He has other disciplines like Krav Maga and kick boxing for this. He used it for strength and flexibility.

He hadn't pushed himself much in that respect since he came home, but he was just starting to get back into it using his punchbag when he got sick again.

Hopefully, he'll be able to return to it some time in the future, because he finds it quite cathartic and calming.

Enjoy the video, and think of Jasper while you're watching...water, anyone?

A new Question.

Galveston's Daughter asked....

Jasper's favourite films? and... Ideal way to spend a Sunday?


I'll start with films. Jasper has issues with films, but for once, not in the way you might think. He mentions in the Christmas Outtake that he always falls asleep when he sits on the couch with Alice, and you will have all noticed that he falls asleep a lot anyway.

BUT, falling asleep during films isn't a new thing for him. He's always done it. It means that he hasn't seem many movies in their entirety. It's a running joke between him and Alice, and something the Cullen's have forgotten about, (for now, anyway).

That being said, there are some films he likes. Shawshank Redemption is one, and Road to Perdition is another. He's not as squeamish about blood and guts as you may imagine, but he doesn't like most war films because they tend to be horribly inaccurate. For example, Jasper fought in Somalia. Although Black Hawk Down was before his time, he has/had friends who were there. That sort of film is too close to home.

But, he does like historical war films like Bridge of the River Kwai and The Great Escape.

He hates action films. He thinks it's all bullshit. He knows what it's really like to jump off buildings and out of airplanes, he doesn't need to watch someone fake it.

He's not keen on horror. Not because it frightens him, (as if), he's spent too many years watching Emmett crap himself over bullshit horrors to take it seriously. Jasper is aware that he is a little cynical!

You are all aware that Jasper is a martial arts and hand to hand combat expert. He quite enjoys some of the older martial arts films, but he doesn't like the more modern efforts where the stunts aren't real.

If Jasper had to pick a favourite genre of films, he would probably pick gangster films. He is a typical man in that respect. He's read all the accompanying books for films like the Godfather trilogy, so it doesn't matter when he dozes off!

Jasper and Alice don't share the same taste in films. She likes chick flicks to relax to while she has a glass of wine and a doodle in her sketch pad. This has only encouraged Jasper's habit of falling asleep. There is nothing he finds more boring than a rom-com.

She did promise to watch The Lord of The Rings with him, though.  He knows the books really well as he read them a lot as a child and he asked her to prod him if he started to drop off. They haven't gotten around to it yet, though. The opportunity has never arisen!

I will answer the second question over the weekend. It has given me an idea for an outtake I would like to write concerning the first Sunday Jasper spent with Alice after he moved into the house.

So, bear with me!

Keep these questions coming!

Until next time...

koko.

A teaser...Chapter 41.

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6296736/40/

Chapter 40 has now been posted. As I'm not entirely sure at this point if 41 will make it's scheduled date, I decided to post the teaser on here as well as sending it out as a review reply. It is unbetaed, mind, so it's subject to editing.

Edward POV.

“What’s up, Jay?” I said quietly, approaching the bed and pulling up a chair.

Jasper looked up at me, a puzzled frown crossing his face. “Two days? I don’t understand. What day is it?”

Technically, its Tuesday now...you’ve been here since Sunday.” I paused noting the way Jasper had his arms wrapped around his chest now Alice was gone. “Are you cold?”

“A little,” Jasper said absently.

I rose and crossed the room to snag the blanket Emmett had brought Alice from home. Jasper smirked slightly when he saw it and I arranged it cautiously over him, taking care not to knock or jostle him. I sat back in my chair as Jasper shifted slightly to make himself more comfortable. Moving seemed to be causing him some discomfort so I waited patiently until he was ready to talk again.

“Thanks,” he said softly.

“No worries. So...do you remember what happened at all?”

“Not really, it’s all a little hazy. I remember the softball game; I think...how did I get here?” Jasper’s voice gave out on his last few words so I reached above him for the cup of ice chips that Leah had left him and put one lightly against his lips, encouraging him to take it in his mouth. I didn’t want to put any fluids in his orally just yet but his throat was bound to be sore from the ET tube and his mouth would be dry from all the meds he was on. Jasper sucked obediently on the ice and looked at me expectantly.

“Emmett brought you in. Mom was worried, apparently you didn’t look so good on Saturday and she sent Emmett to check up on you. He found you on the kitchen floor on Sunday.”

“Shit,” Jasper muttered quietly. “What was it?”

“An obstruction caused by adhesions,” I said and I then proceeded to fill him in on everything that had happened to him since he came in. I was right in my suspicions that he did have a sound medical knowledge, he knew what everything was and the questions he asked me lead me to believe that he understood everything I’d told him. I showed him how to hold his abdomen if he wanted to cough or take a deep breath and I helped him sit up slightly by raising the bed. 

It wasn’t easy to talk to him like he was a patient. He was staring at the central line in his chest and it was hard when I had to tell him he couldn’t go home until it was out. It was going to be a long road back for Jasper and now that I knew a little of difficult it had been for him last time, I felt even worse for him.

END.

Yeah, I know. It's not easy reading, and it doesn't seem fair that he has to go through this again. But, I think it's important to remember that Jasper suffered some really serious injuries. It's not like in films where the hero gets shot and is jumping off buildings again half an hour later. This is real life, and Jasper's a real hero, not some made up, contrived one.

I know which I prefer.

Until next time...

koko

Another question answered.

LadyJazzle asked ... What do you listen to when writing Take My Hand?

Haha, now that's a question. I do try to listen to music, but unless it's something really ambient, I tend to get too distracted. Staring into space is one of my favourite pastimes and music is my worst trigger.

There are a couple of songs that make me think of Jasper...Take My Hand Jasper, that is. I've shared the videos below. They are British artists but I just love the lyrics.

When I think of Jasper's military life, I tend to have film soundtracks running through my head, most recently, Road to Perdition and (thanks to Jbfrancis) Black Hawk Down. I won't link you the tracks just yet.When we get to that part of the story, I'll fill you in then.

Enjoy the videos!

Until next time...

koko.