Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight!
Anonymous reviews enabled!
I do not hate the Confederacy and making the man in the second memory a Confederate was just to help the story. Also I made Jasper a Private in the second memory because he hadn't been promoted yet. I am sorry if I got anything wrong PLEASE correct me if I did.
I got this pointed out to me and I thought it was clarified but I re-read it and it turns out it wasn't so thank you unsedulous for bringing this to my attention. The first memory is of Edward's grandfather in the uniform AFTER the Civil War was over. Sorry about that for all who were confused.
Memories
I was feeling nostalgic as I took out the box full of items from my human years. I opened a photo album Esme had made to the familiar black-and-white of the Union troop my grandfather served in the American Civil War. I had never told Jasper about this and asked everyone else not to because I wasn't sure how sore a subject it would be. I smiled sadly down at the photo of the man I didn't really remember when I heard Alice call out (while blocking her mind) "Jasper come see this!"
"Alice!" I hissed in warning but by then it was too late and she and Jasper were outside my bedroom door.
Without waiting for my permission to enter Alice said "come in, Jasper, he won't mind."
I snorted. "Oh by all means, Alice, invite yourself in!"
Sorry. Jasper directed at me as Alice ran up to the album and re-opened it to the page.
"This one. This is what you need to see." She gestured Jasper over toward the album and gave me a glare telling me not to try hiding it.
Jasper walked over and looked down with a gasp reading the caption below of "Union Troop 103 Private Anthony Matthias Masen second row second from the right." His mind registered shock as a memory overtook him.
Jasper crouched outside a house in Illinois watching as a backdoor opened. 'Perfect my next meal.' He thought gleefully. That is until an old man came out in a Union uniform and waved his arm indicating he wanted someone or something to follow him. No sooner did he step out the door than a little bronze-haired green-eyed boy was on his heels. Jasper was shocked and decided to prolong the hunt to see what would happen next.
"Now, before we begin, isn't there something you're missing Edward?" the old man questioned in a parental tone.
"Um… oh yeah." The little boy replied as he rushed to grab a wooden sword. Upon retrieving it and returning he said "got it grandpa... er I mean got it Sir!" at that he did an impressive salute.
"Alright private begin!" the older man commanded and the young boy began impeccably good practice exercises. When the boy had finished the routine the old man told him he could be at ease. "Well Sir how did I do?"
"You did a good job soldier. If you keep practicing you could be one of the greats I have no doubt."
Jasper couldn't agree more. The boy showed a great deal of promise.
I was pulled back from the memory and Jasper and I both gasped. "You saw me as a human!" I said in shock and heard gasps coming from around the house.
"Yes but I had no idea it was you." Jasper replied. "May I… may I see that photo again please?" and I handed it over to him. Upon looking at it he gasped again as another memory – a human memory – was recalled.
Jasper was set to guard the wounded war prisoners before they were sent to prison camps. He stayed watch all day on constant alert incase one were to escape. It was not just the prisoners, however, who were at this particular infirmary and he was both amused and annoyed to watch a Union soldier being harassed thoroughly by a Confederate on the cot next to him while the Union soldier did nothing to react. The soldier wasn't dead but he did look bored.
Night fell and the Confederate harasser fell quiet when Jasper heard a rustling noise coming from the Union soldier's bed. Making sure as to not let the soldier know he was aware he was trying to escape he readied his weapon for the kill. He was shocked, however, when the soldier stood up and walked to the end of the harasser's cot and stopped. He then heard the Union soldier say a prayer upon the man's behalf as he reached down and grabbed the Confederate's blanket and covered his head.
The soldier had died and Jasper never realized.
The Union soldier went back to his cot and lay down to sleep. Before he was completely out Jasper said "you knew. How?"
"He wasn't breathing." The soldier answered simply. "I bet you're glad you didn't shoot now right?"
Jasper chuckled "killing for giving death rites would be a dumb move."
The Union soldier stuck out his hand "Private Anthony Matthias Masen."
Jasper took his hand and shook it "Private Jasper Whitlock."
"Well Jasper Whitlock I'm going to get some sleep but I wish you the best."
"You're an odd one." Jasper replied quietly seeing as the other man had already fallen asleep.
The next day the Confederates lost the area to the Union and Private Masen was rescued. Despite the fact that he was an enemy, Jasper couldn't help but hope he lived.
As I fell out of the memory I felt my eyes prick at the thought of my grandfather doing that. Jasper chuckled "I guess we have more in common than we thought." I nodded dumbly while my head swirled with thoughts, both mine and other's.
"Thank you, Jasper, for sharing that. And thank you, Alice, for helping it happen." They both nodded and stood up and left as I fingered the black-and-white photo that now had more meaning.