"P.I.C's Two's Company, Three's a Party Polyamorous Contest"

Title: Hope in Their Arms

Author name & FFnet Link: NCChris (http://www . fanfiction . net/~ncchris)

Pairing: Jasper/Charlotte/Peter

Rating: M

Summary: 5 years have passed since Jasper allowed Peter and Charlotte to escape from Maria's army. Peter and Charlotte return for Jasper. Will they bring him more than a new, more peaceful life? Will he find a reason for continuing to exist? Pre-Twilight AU.

Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all its characters. I own nothing. Please, if you are under 18, do not read this story. It is intended for adult readers only. Thank you to mrsalreyami for beta'g for me. She's is a super-beta! ;)

Visit the contest C2 at: http://www . fanfiction . net/community/PICs_Twos_Company_Threes_a_Party_Polyamorous_Contest/76381/ to read the other entries.


I was weary as I stared out across the deserted Texas scrub land. The sun had set only a few minutes before, but light or dark…it made no difference to me. I rubbed the cover of the book I held, not reading it, not able to care enough to try. There had been a time when I would have sat and immersed myself in the pages of a novel and felt human again, if only for a few moments. It had been five years since anything mattered, and, on some level, I knew that I was just trying to find a way to end my suffering.

We had won a battle, and Maria was happy over her new territory. Her happiness made me cringe. Her rewards made me nauseous. So, here I sat, a weary, 80 year old vampire, in the body of a 20 year old man.

I stroked absently at the new scar that circled my right shoulder. It wasn't the first time I had lost my arm and, with a sigh, I figured it would not be the last time. My body was a roadmap of death and destruction, each ridged scar and symmetrical crescent a reminder of every vampire I had destroyed.

It was the scars that weren't visible that burned the hottest, though. For 79 years, I followed Maria's orders, and disposed of each group of new vampire soldiers as their newborn strength waned. For 79 years, I had endured their fear and pain as I ripped them apart. There were only two vampires that had ever been spared that fate, and I quickly shoved the thought of them from my mind. I was as utterly alone as it was possible for a vampire to be. Even Lucy and Nettie were gone now, ripped apart by my own hand, at Maria's bidding, when they began to plot against her.

I prayed for numbness. I couldn't control what I felt from others, but I could cease to feel my own emotions. I could allow myself to become nothing but a vessel, at least until I could gather enough courage to throw myself into the pyre along with my latest victims. Hell would be preferable to the hell on Earth I was currently enduring.

Thoughts of the two vampires I had allowed to escape continued to swirl around in my overwhelmed and despairing thoughts. They had both been sired by me, though two years apart. He had been the only friend I had ever had in this limbo of an afterlife. She had been his mate, though I had not known that until that fateful day.

I fingered the cover of the book in my hands again, feeling where it was worn thin by the same constant fingering. I never actually read it anymore, because my despair was great enough without remembering how free reading had allowed me to feel once.

The darkness was complete around me now, and I gazed up at the stars overhead as I listened to the coyotes howl in the distance. They would stay well away, recognizing me as a predator more ferocious than themselves, but I could hear them scavenging several miles away. I struggled to maintain my emotional numbness as the warm blood from my last kill earlier that morning continued to race through my veins, reminding me that I scavenged and preyed upon the weak as surely as the mangy wild dogs.

I was reliving her terror and pain, and allowing it to consume me, surging from my body in great heaving pulses, an empath's version of vomiting, when I felt the first stirrings of a being I hadn't felt in half a decade and hadn't ever dreamt of feeling again.

Unable to control the despair and pain that rippled outwards as I lost control, I snapped my eyes up at the crack of a dry twig. His feelings betrayed him. He felt as I remembered him, but his features were twisted into an agony so intense that it almost rendered him unrecognizable. I pulled hard on the numbness that I cultivated, unwilling to hurt him, even though I was sure that he was a figment of my finally incoherent mind.

I gazed at him, unblinking and motionless. His features relaxed as the emptiness settled over my previous true emotions. I could feel that I was becoming a shell again, and I welcomed the nothingness and release from my agony. He took a tentative step toward me, holding his hands out in front of him.

"Jasper," he whispered, his voice laced with some unnamed emotion.

I did not respond, fairly sure that actually talking to a hallucination would be worse than just seeing one. He continued to stare at me and creep closer. When he was close enough to touch me, he reached his hand out and rubbed his thumb gently over a fresh bite at the crook of my neck. I hissed in surprise, this being the first time I had been touched in anything but anger in almost longer than I could remember. Startled, he snatched his hand back, and crouched down in front of me.

"Jasper, it's Peter. I'm not here to hurt you."

His voice was like a soothing balm. I closed my eyes and allowed his emotions to roll over me. He was afraid, sad, concerned, nervous, and hopeful. My eyes snapped open as the scent of a woman wafted toward me on the gentle night breeze; Charlotte was here.

She stood just behind Peter's shoulder, and her compassion flowed like fine wine over me. She had always been beautiful, but now she radiated a contentment and peace that I had never felt from her before. Of course, it was silly to think she wouldn't have changed. She was a fully mature vampire now, the erratic behavior of her newborn year behind her.

She laid her hand on Peter's shoulder and I felt her determination as she stepped around Peter and dropped to her knees in front of me. I growled a soft warning as she edged slowly forward. I wasn't safe. I was evil and they were not.

"Jas…" she breathed softly, her scent washing over me until I thought I would go mad.

I closed my eyes, desperate to remove myself from this cruel hallucination, forcing the numbness to the surface again. The one thing I wanted more than anything was being conjured in front of me. I wanted the life I hoped they had found together. I wanted love and peace to replace the pain and despair.

When I felt their arms surround me, small, delicate, strong, and comforting, all pretenses at control failed and I sobbed into their arms. All the pain, despair, and loathing poured out of me as Charlotte ran her fingers through my tangled hair while Peter rubbed my back, both holding me together as what was left of my sanity teetered on the edge of the abyss.

I'm not sure how long they held me that night, but as the darkness gradually faded, I felt Peter's wariness increase. Brought back to my surroundings by this change in his demeanor, I wearily raised my head and saw the lightening sky. Understanding flashed through me.

"Peter, I have to go. She'll send them to find me if I don't return soon. They'll kill you both…or worse."

The thought of the torture Maria would inflict on them caused a violent shudder to race through my still trembling form. I pushed back gently from Charlotte's arms, never wanting to hurt her, pausing to breathe in her scent once more before I left them completely. I could not allow them to be hurt or destroyed because of me. I simply wasn't worth the sacrifice.

As I pulled away, Peter moved his hand from my back to clamp down on my shoulder instead. I growled a soft warning at him. I couldn't let him delay me, though how I wished for even a few more precious hours with them. He and Charlotte were radiating determination and, for the life of me, I couldn't figure out what they were feeling determined about.

Charlotte had released me from her embrace, but now pressed her small, delicate hand into my much larger rough one. Peter maintained his hold on my shoulder.

"Jasper, you don't have to go back to her. She doesn't own you. Leave this place," Peter said, his voice rough with some unknown emotion.

I couldn't…I couldn't leave her. I had never known anything else. As much as I hated Maria, she was all I knew of this existence. I must have projected my confusion and conflict to them, because Charlotte squeezed my hand, pulling my attention back to her.

"Jas, when you let us leave, you gave us a new life. Peter and I are happy now, at peace. Please, let us share that life with you. You don't have to stay here. You aren't alone! We want you to come with us."

Could I do this? Could I leave everything I had ever known behind? Scenarios flashed in front of my eyes. I saw myself destroyed in war, ceasing to exist and no one to mourn me. I shuddered as this was what my final death would be if I stayed. Abruptly, the scene changed.

I was sitting in front of a roaring fireplace in a small rough hewn log cabin. There was a book open in my lap but I wasn't reading it. I was looking toward the door. As I watched, Charlotte and Peter came inside. They met my eye immediately and I could feel their love as it rolled over me in comforting waves.

At first, I thought I was feeling their love for each other, but as the scene continued to unfold, I realized it was a more all consuming love than that.

I rose from my fireside chair to greet them. I pulled them both into an embrace, reveling in the love between us as I enjoyed the soft curves of Charlotte's body against mine, even as the hard, strong planes of Peter's masculine frame awakened a burning need within me.

After a few moments, our need for each other heightened and Charlotte led Peter and me toward the other doorway in the cabin. As she pulled us through, I saw a large bed covered in a soft handmade quilt. Our three scents permeated the room. I realized with a start that it was our room, all of ours.

Abruptly, the scene dissolved and I was back in Texas, huddled down in a crouch with Charlotte and Peter hovering around me nervously.

Peter was looking into my eyes steadily as if he knew what I had seen. His gaze never wavered, but he nodded slightly.

"Come with us, Jasper. We want you," he whispered simply.

Unaware of even making the decision, I found myself running through the dense Texas scrub, Peter and Charlotte flanking me. The first light of dawn was just breaking across the horizon when we came upon a deserted hacienda. As we stepped through the archway and into the cool interior, I allowed myself to want a better life with them.


I inhaled deeply, rolling the fragrant tobacco smoke over my tongue and tasting each nuance of flavor. I had enjoyed smoking as a human and, if possible, my heightened sense of smell and taste had made it even more enjoyable in this existence. Exhaling slowly, I watched as the smoke drifted away into the cool desert night. It was so peaceful here, nothing but sand and stars as far as even my eye could see. I felt small and insignificant under the expanse of pitch black sky dotted with an infinite number of stars…I felt human.

I had hunted the night before. I had taken out a man that was stalking a young woman from a nearby pueblo. The young woman was beautiful and had very pure emotions. She hurt no one and was only working at the cantina as a waitress so that she could help to feed her younger siblings. I had followed her for the last few nights, watching over her as she walked alone through the dangerous streets after the cantina closed. Tonight, as I stood skulking in the shadows, I saw the man approach her. I could feel her fear spike as he blocked her path. When he reached out and grabbed her wrist, I heard a sickening pop as her fragile bones cracked beneath his savage strength.

I stepped from the shadows and approached the pair.

"Sir, I think that the lady does not wish to go with you. Let her go and don't bother her again."

The man turned and snarled at me.

"Stay out of this. It's of no concern to you, Gringo. This mujer doesn't mind the attention. Do you, bonita?"

I saw him clench her wrist tighter and felt the blossoming pain as she whimpered in his grasp. Rage flared inside me and I quickly clenched the man's wrist, snapping his bones. My cold fingers brushed the girl's trapped hand and she gasped in surprise over my icy touch.

The man immediately released her and snatched his damaged appendage to his chest, falling to his knees and moaning in pain. I could feel his pain as it pushed at the edges of my anger. The girl was shocked and had not moved.

"Run away, m'ija. Go home to your mama," I commanded, as gently as I could.

She turned and ran with a whispered "gracias" and, the moment I could no longer feel her, I turned to the bastard who was scuttling back toward the dark alley from whence I had come earlier. His terror and pain crashed over me. The violent torrent of emotions would have dropped me to my knees if I hadn't allowed the burn in my throat to overcome it. I bared my teeth as I stalked toward him, breaking his neck and beginning to feed before he could even draw a breath to scream with.

When I drew the last pull, I swiftly ran the body out to the desert and buried him in a shallow grave. The coyotes and scavengers would take care of his remains. As the last rock dropped over his unmarked grave, I was consumed with the emotions I had locked away as the bloodlust took over.

Dropping to my knees, I heaved and wretched, wishing that my cold, dead body would allow me to purge it of his vile, tainted blood. Eventually, as the guilt washed over me, I lay down on the dusty soil and just stared up at the stars, shudders racing through me periodically. Peter came to me not much later, and half-carried me back to our hacienda. I could feel his compassion and affection for me. I allowed him to comfort me, even though I was a monster unworthy of his care.

My thoughts were interrupted by Charlotte's approach. She always smelled comforting to me, a cross between pecan pie and sweet German chocolate. It reminded me for some reason of the kitchen on the ranch I had grown up on. I wished I could remember why.

I took another drag from the smoldering cigarette in my hand and waited for her to approach. She and Peter were always a bit cautious with me. It hurt a bit that even after several months together, they still weren't completely sure of how much I loved them both. I knew they loved me. I could feel that whenever we were together. Many nights were passed with Charlotte singing while Peter and I played guitar. I often pushed my gratitude and love out to them in those happy moments.

As she crept closer, I pushed out a measure of loneliness and acceptance to her. I hoped she would understand that I wanted her to join me. She smiled as she sat down next to me, not quite touching me, but close enough that I could feel the electricity passing between our bodies. I wanted to touch her, but I was ashamed at the same time. This was Peter's Charlotte. She was not mine to covet.

She must have felt my longing and confliction, because she turned to face me. I looked down at her, confused by the hodgepodge of emotions she was sending to me; timidity, determination, compassion, love, and desire.

The moment she had my attention, she brushed her lips across mine. It was cathartic. This was what I needed. I needed to have someone who was mine and I theirs, someone to share the journey with. Dammit! Why did I have to realize this with Peter's mate?

I pulled away sharply, knowing that she felt rejected, but unable to continue and betray my friend. Just as I opened my mouth to speak, to say anything to fix this, Peter's emotional signature hit me.

"Jasper, do you honestly think Charlotte would do anything to hurt us?" he asked quietly, standing just to my right.

I was confused. I had expected him to be angry, to want to defend his mate. I was dreading the fight that would certainly ensue, as I was sure our scents were now on each other, and, no matter what explanation I had to come up with, I would not let him blame Charlotte.

He took a step forward, and I quickly shoved Charlotte behind me and crouched protectively, ready to defend her if needed. I growled a warning.

"Shut up, you idiot!" Charlotte growled from behind me.

She was radiating irritation at me. What the hell? Didn't she realize what was going on here? Her mate would smell me on her. This was not a good thing!

Peter took another cautious step towards us. All my battle instincts were screaming at me to strike first, my muscles twitched and jumped as I tried desperately to hold onto myself, to not let Jasper go, because if I did, it would be the Major that would attack, and I would end my existence if I hurt either of them.

Peter stopped and stood motionless, only a few steps away now. In my panic, I had shut down all my senses except those for battle.

"Jasper, you have to calm down. You don't understand what's happening. Reach out to me. Feel what I'm feeling," Peter said, his voice washing over me, calming me as it always had.

As he spoke, Charlotte grasped my hand in hers, rubbing circles into the palm with her tiny thumb.

"Jas, it's OK, honey. Peter and I should have talked to you before I did that. Relax, Jas. There's no danger here," she crooned, talking me down gently as Peter took another cautious step forward.

Gradually, I could feel their emotions creeping back into my consciousness. They were concerned for me. I felt no anger. I did, however, feel love and a large measure of desire. Charlotte radiated desire for me and it didn't really surprise me, but Peter's desire, as it surged over me, certainly did. I closed my eyes to concentrate better on what they were trying to show me.

I was puzzled. I couldn't understand why they would desire me. I was not a beautiful vampire. I was damaged both inside and out, hideous and frightening. As I mulled over this enigma, I absentmindedly rubbed the scar above my right eye. Peter had given it to me not long after I had turned him. I had been training him and was secretly pleased with his skill. He had managed to pin me and had nipped me before I managed to take him down.

I felt his smooth fingers against my skin as he replaced my fingers with his own. He stroked my skin reverently, and I fought not to release the rumbling purr that was building in my chest.

"That was the first day that I felt how proud of me you were," he murmured, "Jasper, no matter what you think, you are worth our love. You are a good man, who is struggling with painful demons, but Maria did not destroy everything good in you."

He leaned forward and brushed his lips across the scarred flesh. His desire for me and for Charlotte crashed over me, overwhelming my confusion and spurring me to action. With a groan, I pulled him against me and let him feel my love and desire for him, making sure to project it to Charlotte as well. God help me, I wanted them both.

I took Peter's hand in mine and pulled gently on Charlotte's, bringing her up next to Peter in front of me. I looked at them both, sampling their emotions. They were sure, I could feel that. I allowed my awe, gratitude, and love to flow between us.

"I don't understand. I don't deserve your love, but I will take it. I'm selfish, and I love you, too."

My voice was the barest husky whisper. Had they not been vampires, they would not have heard me. I dropped my eyes to the ground, waiting for their inevitable rejection. They couldn't want me the same way I wanted them.

"Come on, Jas. Let us show you how good this existence can be when you have someone to share it with," Charlotte replied softly, reaching up and tilting my head to meet my eyes.

I flicked my gaze to Peter, who tilted his head in agreement. Still grasping their hands, we ran.


I had never wanted to get home as badly as I did on that run. We were running faster than we ever had before, and the tension and need was palpable between us as we got closer and closer to our sanctuary.

As I ran, I remembered my vision of our future together. My body responded as I replayed the scene in an endless loop as we ran. We slowed to a more normal pace as the hacienda came into view, and then dropped hands in unison to enter the high-walled courtyard.

I was strung tight from the need washing over us, and before we could fully enter the interior of the house, I pushed Charlotte up against the stuccoed courtyard wall and ravished her mouth. She growled in approval as our tongues slid against each other. I could feel Peter's lust increasing as Charlotte and I explored each other's mouths. After what seemed to be hours, I pulled back and smirked when Charlotte sighed softly and slumped against my chest.

Peter quickly crossed the few feet between us and grabbed our hands, towing us along behind him to the large bedroom off the living area. He pushed Charlotte down onto the large bed and kissed her deeply, groaning loudly as he tasted me on her lips.

For my part, I allowed my own desire for them both to pour into the room as I quickly made my way to the oil lamps scattered about the room. As I lit them, I admired the play of light and shadow over their skin. Charlotte and Peter looked ethereal - my angels - in the dim light.

I wanted to touch every inch of their beautiful bodies, but I hung back, slightly afraid of what their reactions to my imperfections would be. Would they be afraid? Disgusted? I had felt the fear and disgust from Maria, though she tried to hide it.

In unison, they looked up at me and held out their hands, a silent plea to join them. I took a tentative step forward and took their outstretched hands in mine, allowing them to pull me down onto the large bed between them. I didn't know which of them I wanted to touch first, Charlotte, with her soft curves and smooth skin, or Peter, with his hard muscles and angular planes. I was saved from making the decision when they both moved to undress me.

Peter began to work on the buttons of my shirt, letting his fingers brush the sensitive skin that he revealed. Charlotte rolled to her side and tucked herself against me, nuzzling against my neck and nipping at the scarred skin there. She paid special attention to each set of crescent marks, trying to erase as much of my pain as she could with her love.

I was honestly overwhelmed. Their love for me was like nothing I had ever felt before, and I knew I had never loved anyone before like I loved them.

Peter finished with my shirt, causing Charlotte and I to shift as he pulled it off of me. I felt a wave of sadness from him as he took in the full evidence of my violent past. There was a particularly ugly scar in the center of my chest. As he noticed it, I felt him come to a decision. When he took a step back from the bed, I was confused and hurt. Had he decided he couldn't be with me? That he couldn't handle my imperfections? I wouldn't blame him if that was the case, but it still ripped through me, leaving a burning emptiness in its wake.

"Jasper, I love you. Nothing about you disgusts me. You don't see how wonderful you are, do you?" he asked, very quietly, unbuttoning his own shirt and shrugging it off.

I could make out his scars in the dim light, and, though he was not as scarred as I was, he did have a nearly identical scar on his chest.

"Do you no longer want me because I have scars? Am I less attractive to you, now?"

Charlotte had stilled beside me and was simply watching us. I looked at her from the corner of my eye, and saw that she had also removed her shirt, and was displaying a spattering of crescent shaped scars, though she only had about a dozen, nothing compared to Peter, and almost unnoticeable compared to mine.

"Come here, Peter," I said, holding my hand out to him.

He took my hand and allowed me to pull him against my chest. I hissed as our bare skin connected. It was electric and erotic, and I wanted him.

I couldn't resist anymore, so I pulled his head down level with mine before pressing my lips to his. I could hear Charlotte's breathing speed up and both felt and smelled the increase in her arousal. I moaned into the kiss, trying to focus my attention back to Peter. His lips were firm against mine, different but no less wonderful than Charlotte's. As I invaded his mouth with my tongue, Charlotte shifted to pull off our belts. Once they were removed, she made quick work of our pants and undergarments and shimmied out of her remaining clothes.

I broke off the kiss with Peter to draw Charlotte back to us. We fell back onto the bed in a tangle of limbs, each wanting to touch and taste every inch of the other. I growled as my hard aching cock slipped against Peter's as I shifted to suck at Charlotte's tight rosy nipples. He answered me with his own growl of approval and ground himself against me as Charlotte arched into me and whimpered.

I was so ready to be inside them…I paused as I thought about that. I truly wanted to be with them both, now, together.

"How are we going to do this?" I murmured, not breaking from my contact with either of them.

"I want to ride you while Peter's inside you," Charlotte replied, meeting Peter's gaze and then sliding them to my own, "Is that OK, Jasper?"

"Ye..es…" I moaned as Peter reached between us and pumped my aching cock.

I could feel my cock twitching in his grasp, and I knew without a doubt that this was going to be the best experience I had ever had. Perhaps it was because I loved them both so much, but I was sure that I had never had it this good before.

Charlotte shifted again to straddle my chest as Peter continued to stroke me.

"I'm going to straddle your face and you're going to fuck me with that beautifully talented tongue. While we're doing that, Peter's going to get you ready. Does that sound good to you, baby?

"Oh God! Yes, Charlotte. Come here, Darlin'," I replied, desperate for a taste of her sweet pussy.

She slid up and settled herself over my mouth. I swiped my tongue roughly along her dripping folds and moaned at the sweet flavor. She rocked lightly above me as I began to slowly probe her depths with my tongue. She was wet, sweet, and ready. We were settling into a smooth rhythm when I felt Peter's fingers at the edge of my mouth. I moved to suck and nibble at Charlotte's clit as Peter plunged his fingers into her, pumping hard and fast. I could feel her ecstasy increasing and her muscles tensing. She would come soon. I bit down as hard as I could without breaking the skin, wanting to plunge her over the edge.

"Jasper! Oh my God, Peter!" she screamed our names as she came, rocking hard against my tongue and teeth and Peter's fingers. As she came down from her high, Peter pulled his fingers from her depths and slid back down as Charlotte collapsed next to me, taking my cock into her small, but very capable, hands.

I threw my head back and whimpered as Charlotte lapped at my pre-come, sliding her tongue into the weeping slit to collect every drop I could offer. I felt Peter's Charlotte-slick fingers press against my tight entrance just as Charlotte engulfed me in her mouth. My entire body tensed in anticipation of what was to come.

"Relax, Jasper. I'll make it good for you, I promise," Peter whispered, pressing forward and slowly entering me as I relaxed my muscles against him.

I was surprised at how very good it felt. He stoked me with purpose, stretching me but also brushing hard against my swollen gland. I let out a shuddering moan as he added a third finger and scissored his fingers. I was relaxed against him now, but getting closer to my own climax as Charlotte continued to suck me rhythmically.

"Char, baby, you have to stop. I don't want to come yet. I want to wait," I pleaded as she drove me closer and closer to the edge.

I was trembling lightly as their desire and lust combined with my own and swirled around us in the flickering candlelight. Charlotte released me with a pop and leaned up to kiss me, letting me taste myself inside her mouth.

"Are you ready, Jasper?" Peter asked, his voice low and sexy as his need to be inside me increased.

I was almost beyond the ability to speak, so I sent out a burst of lust and acceptance to him as he pressed his throbbing cock against my now relaxed hole. He pressed forward steadily and I shuddered when he was finally fully sheathed. It was an intense feeling, pleasure tinged with pain. He stayed still as Charlotte straddled my hips and slowly impaled herself on me.

They began to move in tandem, filling and surrounding me in every way. I cried out at the pleasure and reached for Charlotte, pulling her down to press against my chest.

"That's right, baby, let go and just feel the pleasure. Does Peter's cock feel good inside you? He's very good at this isn't he?" Charlotte whispered in my ear, nibbling the skin there and tasting me, even as she began to slam her hips down against me harder as my muscles tightened in preparation for my release.

Peter was thrusting into me at a hard fast pace and Charlotte was riding me like a champion. I could feel my climax approaching. I wanted them to come with me. I gathered all the love and lust that they were exuding and, mixing it with mine, began to send out strong, hard bursts of emotion at my lovers. I felt Charlotte tighten around me in the split second before my own orgasm began, spurred on by her contractions. Peter thrust deep inside me and released a moment later, roaring our names.

We collapsed against each other, spent and panting. Peter slowly pulled out, sending another tremor of pleasure through my overly sensitive body and crawled up to lay against my side as Charlotte lay against the other. I was sandwiched between them and never had I felt such contentment and peace. As we lay in each other's arms, I felt an emotion foreign to my experiences as a vampire.

For the first time in almost a century, lying there in their arms and coming down from the most intense orgasm of my existence, I felt hope.


I hope you enjoyed the story. Make sure to let me know what you thought! Tell your friends about the contest...