Chapter 1: Not All Wounds Are Visible

Jasper's POV

I awoke with a start. My breathing was ragged and sweat was beading off my brow. It took me a moment to register where I was. I was in Seattle, not Iraq. I was in sister's apartment, not the camp. I looked at the clock. 3:18 am. Rosalie was asleep with her boyfriend, Emmett. I sighed and ran my hand through my hair, gently tugging on the strands. I threw the blanket off me and walked to the kitchen. Something was wrong, I just didn't know what. I opened the fridge and took out some water. It was the fourth night I had a dream about Iraq. The fourth night I had a dream about that day. But that day wasn't a dream. It was a nightmare. Snap out of it Jasper, you've been home for three months already, let it go. But it wasn't something I could let go. I couldn't forget that day. I sat down on the couch in the living room and sighed again. My mind kept rewinding to that day. For the past four nights, it's been the same. I have the dream. Quickly wake up at around 2 or 3 in the morning, then I can't go back to sleep. I know it's my fault. If I had just looked behind... I close my eyes tight. Trying to get the image out of my head. The blood seeping out of their wounds. The color slowly draining from their faces. The life trickling away from their bodies. The fire around their-

"Jasper?" I looked up and Rosalie was standing at the doorway.

"Hey Rose," I said.

"Jasper, it's 3 in the morning."

"I know, did I wake you?"

"No...well...um...yeah."

"Sorry. Didn't mean too."

"It's okay." She tied the band around her robe and sat down next to me. "Why are you up?"

"Couldn't sleep."
"You had it again. Didn't you?"

"Yeah, Rose. Fourth night in a row."

"What do you think you should do?"
"What do you think I should do?"

"Maybe go see a specialist."

"A shrink?"

"Yeah."

"I've been having the same dream. I'm not crazy."

"But-"

"I'm not going," my voice had risen. She looked at me wide eyed. She wasn't shocked, she was pissed. "Sorry." Rose sometimes scared the shit out of me.

"It's okay."

"Is Emmett awake?"

"No, he sleeps like a rock." I chuckled.

"You know how to pick 'em"

"Shut up. Emmett's family is having a bar-b-q. He wanted me to ask if you wanted to come tomorrow, well I mean today."

"Sure." She got up and made her towards the room. "Rose." She turned around.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay." She walked back to her room. I stayed on the couch. About an hour later, I went back to bed. I looked in Rose's room. Her head was on his chest while his arm was around her waist. I smiled and walked to my room. I sighed and laid down. I stared at the ceiling, unable to fall asleep.

The next few hours went by slowly. When I heard Rose and Emmett get up, I sighed. I got up and went to the kitchen. Emmett and Rose were sitting.

"Morning'" Emmett said.

"Morning," I replied. Rose walked over and handed me a piece of paper. I opened it. There was an address on it. I looked at her. She didn't react. An hour later, I left to go to the therapist. Apparently, it was Emmett's mother, Esme. She lived in Forks. I drove to her office. On her door, printed plain and clear was Dr. Esme Cullen. God this better be worth it. I knocked on the door. A woman with caramel hair and brown eyes.

"Hello," she said in a kindhearted voice.

"Hi, Dr. Cullen, my name is Jasper Hale."

"You're Rosalie's twin."

"Yes."

"Well come on in and call me Esme." I followed her. She motioned for me to sit on the couch.

"So Jasper, why did you come here?" she asked.

"I have been...reliving, for lack of a better word, something that had happened in Iraq. For the past few nights, I have been dreaming about it."

"What exactly are you dreaming about?"

"I'd rather not talk about it."

"Alright, how long have you been in the army?"

"Since I was in high school, for seven years."

"And how many times have you been deployed?"

"Once to Afghanistan twice to Iraq."

"And you are on leave?"
"Honorable discharge." For about an hour Esme asked me different questions. How close am I to Rosalie? How close am I to my family? Am I having mood flashes? Stuff like that. Then she finally told me what she thought was wrong with me.

"So you think I'm crazy?" I questioned once she told me what she thought.

"No Jasper. What you experienced in Iraq was horrible and because of your symptoms, I believe fully in my diagnosis."

"So, what do I do?"

"It looks like you have just developed it. I'm going to give you a prescription for two drugs. Carbamazepine and Prazosin. They should help. I'm also going to suggest that you come to me for exposure therapy." She handed me two pieces of paper for the prescriptions.

"Thank you, Esme," I said, standing up.

"No problem, Jasper, I'll see you later on today?" It took me a moment to figure out she was talking about the bar-b-q.

"I'll see if I can swing by." She smiled and led me out of the office. I got back to the car and made my way to the pharmacy.

Ok guys i need opinions. Alice and the rest of the Cullens will be here in the next chapter r&r guys