Texas, present day

His hands were around Jasper's throat.

Jasper kicked him off and jumped to his feet, ready for another attack. He snarled viciously when the other vampire lunged. Jasper used the vampire's momentum to launch him over his own head and into a tree. The vampire's skull met the trunk of the tree and split it in half. The vampire was still.

And then Jasper howled with laughter.

"You win this time, Cocksucker." Peter grumbled as he rubbed at his forehead. It didn't actually hurt, but he was certain there was an ugly purple bruise on his ego.

Jasper laughed harder if it were possible. "You…your…YOUR FAT UGLY HEAD…broke..the TREE…"

"Really, Jasper. You're behaving like a child." Peter sneered.

He just barely resisted stomping his feet as he headed back toward the house, although he could certainly appreciate the irony. As he shuffled up the steps of the porch he caught Charlotte glaring at him through the drapes. She was in his face in the next second.

"What the hell did I say would happen if you two destroyed another tree? That oak was 100 years old, you big shits!"

Jasper couldn't help but laugh a little harder until he got a good look at Char. He quieted and followed Peter in to the house. Now that he was thinking a little more clearly, he realized that Peter's punishment was his punishment too. If Peter was going to be locked out of his own bedroom for the next week, Jasper would be feeling the lusty, frustrated consequences just as much as his brother. God damn him and his tree-cracking head.

Char looked smug as she ran up the stairs and slammed the door. Peter whimpered. Jasper rolled his eyes.

"Fuck the tree! I'm more than 100 years old and she doesn't give two shits."

"Her family planted that tree when she was a little girl, Peter. How would you feel if she'd destroyed one of the last pieces of physical evidence of your human life?"

His only answer was more grumbling. Jasper clapped Peter on the back and chuckled.

It was on days like this that Jasper reminded himself how lucky he was. If Peter's week-long forced abstinence was their little family's biggest problem, then they were pretty damned fortunate, Jasper thought.

He tried to imagine what would be troubling him if they were all still with Maria. The thought made him feel cold inside. All three of them carried scars, visible and invisible, from their harrowing experiences. Sometimes he felt a little bit crazy, manic, because he was just so happy to be free of such a life. Other times he wallowed in guilt and despair. Thankfully he had Peter and Char to pull him out. Their love proved to him that such a thing existed. That monsters like himself could change, could care for others. But it hadn't just been Peter and Char who saved him.

Decades ago, Peter and Char had suggested he stay with the Cullens, a family of veggie vamps, for a while. It was eating away at him to feel the suffering of his victims and he needed to make some changes. However, after decades of living with three mated couples with no sense of privacy, he had missed his easy life with Peter and Char. He still saw the Cullens occasionally, of course. He owed them for helping him find his peace of mind, for teaching him another way of living, of loving. But he loved their little home in the middle of nowhere, just the three of them. Peter was like a brother to him and his wife, Charlotte, was a loyal friend. As lovely as his stay with the Cullens had been, he didn't miss a house full of raging teen-vamp hormones.

The Cullens' visits were awkward to say the least. Peter was absolutely terrified of Rosalie Hale. Rosalie was determined to get Peter and Char to join herself and Emmett in bed. Now, Peter wasn't a prude. Quite the opposite. But after declining Rosalie's offer more than 10 times without success, he was beginning to get nervous. Jasper wasn't so sure that Rosalie wasn't planning on kidnapping Peter. Poor Emmett must really love Rosalie. Her interest in Peter was quickly approaching "creeper status" as Charlotte liked to call it. Jasper laughed out loud just thinking of it.

"I know what you're laughing at, Jasper Whitlock. Don't fuck with me today. I haven't nailed my wife for nearly 24 hours. I can't be held responsible for what I do to you."

Jasper just raised an eyebrow. The poor bastard was losing it already, he thought.

"Oh you know what the hell I meant, you fairy! Let me spell it out for you: Don't push me right now or I'll have to rip off your foot and shove it down your throat, boot and all."

Jasper scowled at him. Who did he think he was talking to? Jasper couldn't remember the last time Peter bested him in a fight. As he recalled, it was only a few hours ago that his head was between two halves of a tree he threw him in to. Jasper growled.

"You're going to throw a bitch fit about 24 hours, Pete? Would you like to trade places for the next century and find out what that's like?" Jasper was joking, but he felt Peter get serious, fast.

"Jasper, it's only a matter of time, now. I'm sure of it. My spidey senses are tingling and have been for months. You're not destined to be alone for eternity like you seem to think, brother. You've got a soul mate out there somewhere."

"Your gift might be on the fritz, Pete. I don't have a soul mate and I don't need one. My life isn't a fucking romance novel. If anyone could stand to write my story it would be Stephen King." Peter rolled his eyes.

"Don't be so damned dramatic. Peter the Great is never wrong! I can't wait to shove this in your face for eternity when you realize I'm right. I'm going for a hunt. When I come back you better be done wallowing. I need you to have your wits about you if you're going to keep me from busting down that door that Char locked on me." With that, he disappeared into the woods.

Jasper grimaced. He wasn't sure if he had the energy to care for another person. The Cullens and Whitlocks were more than he could handle already. But his inner voice reminded him of a creature he met more than 100 years ago. One that he still thought about every day. One that had saved his life and then disappeared forever. Maybe he did have a soul mate. And maybe fate didn't think he deserved her.

"You will never have to see me again…" She'd said. She had kept her word.

A/N: Thoughts? Let me know! Pretty pretty please with Jasper on top. Or you can be on top if you'd like. Just review ;) Thanks!