Collaboration with happyghost!

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~2~

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The quietly hissed heated words of an argument drifted down the stairs to the living room.

Carlisle lowered his newspaper and his eyebrows drew together in concern as he looked over to his wife seated at the other end of the couch, the latest Architectural Digest in her hands.

Worry clearly written across her face, her gaze met his. "Fighting again."

"What can we do to help them?" Carlisle asked.

Rosalie snuggled into Emmett's side on the loveseat, and he paused the movie they were watching. "Help them? Whose bright idea was it to send a war veteran to high school?" Before Carlisle could draw breath to answer, Emmett continued. "I'll tell ya whose idea it was. Edward's, that's who."

"Now, Emmett," Esme chastised the large vampire. "Edward would never say it, but you know he's terribly lonely, and—"

"Never say it?" The stunning blonde interrupted, lifting her husband's arm from around her shoulders. "When does he stop saying it? Oh, I'm so lonely." She wagged her head from side to side as she mimicked her brother. "My life is like a moonless night," she lamented, gesturing with a flourish. She stood and clasped her hands in front of her chest. "I'm constantly surrounded by loving couples, and I have no one. I am a monster, and I'll never have anyone because who could love one such as I?" She leaned back and touched the back of her wrist to her forehead as she closed her eyes and whimpered plaintively. She then stared up at the ceiling and huffed loudly. "My God, he's a bigger drama queen than ten Lauren Mallorys."

"Rosalie!" Esme lowered her magazine. "Edward could be back from hunting any moment, and he could hear you!"

Emmett snorted derisively. "The pipsqueak never stays out of our heads, so it's not like he doesn't already know what we think."

"I thought you loved your brother, Emmett." Carlisle set his paper aside.

"I do, but it doesn't mean I don't see what's going on. He doesn't really look old enough to get a job anywhere but at McDonald's, or even to go to college, so we all get roped into going to high school over and over, so he won't be lonely. The Valentine dance is coming up, and it's got his underwear in a wad." Emmett scratched at his head. "Is it any wonder Jasper would get antsy and want to get out of here? Between Edward and the four hundred moonie-eyed teenagers at Forks High …"

"But he offered to go." Esme placed her magazine on the end table and leaned forward.

Rosalie ran her fingers through her hair and let out a long, exasperated sigh. "He's only doing it for Alice. She can't get enough of the high school scene. She loves showing off her clothes and shoes, and making all the other girls envious. She lives for it. And people think I'm vain. He really can't stand it." Her eyebrows drew together in consternation. "She's probably trying to make him go to the dance. I'm sure she's seen they have a wonderful time."

Emmett joined his wife, taking her in his arms and waltzing across the wide expanse of cream carpet. "Jasper's nearly as good a dancer as I am." He took her hand, spun her away, and pulled her back to his broad chest, Rosalie giggling the whole time. "Right, babe?"

"You're my Fred Astaire." She fluttered her eyelashes at him. "But getting back on topic … Jasper wanted to take a few days and go visit his friend Peter, and Alice is planning color coordinated outfits for the dance."

"Well, she can forget about any dancin', color coordinated or not, because I ain't goin'," Jasper announced, alerting them to his presence on the stairs.

Startled, all four family members watched him walk across the room.

A gleeful smile brightened Emmett's face. "Dude, I haven't seen you in blue jeans and a T-shirt for—"

"Too," Jasper replied, setting down a stuffed duffle bag and opening the coat closet.

"Two?" Rosalie asked. "Two what?"

"Too long," he drawled as he rummaged around inside, mumbling to himself. "Ya know, once upon a time, I had a … here it is."

He pulled out a denim coat with a red buffalo plaid lining. After slipping it on, he adjusted the corduroy collar and patted the pockets. "Thanks for keepin' this for me, Esme."

"Of course, Jasper. I would never discard anything of yours."

"Unlike some people," Rosalie added with a slight sneer before addressing her blond brother with approval. "I take it you're not going to join us at the dance," she commented sweetly, still enveloped in her husband's arms.

"That would be a no."

Emmett lowered his dance partner in a dip and kissed the point of her chin before righting her and stepping into another slow spin. "Taking a little trip instead?"

"Don't mind me. Y'all just keep dancin', and yes, I am. It's been a while since I checked in with Peter. It's time."

Carlisle set his paper down on the coffee table and stood. "You're leaving us?"

Esme tucked herself into her husband's side. "When will you be back?"

"I'm not sure." He reached into his pants pocket and pulled out his vibrating phone. "We'll see how it goes." Upon reading the screen, his face lit up. "Speak of the devil. It's Peter." He put the phone to his ear. "How the hell do you do that? I was just talkin' about—"

"You alone?" came the cagey whisper.

"I can be. Just a second." Jasper pressed the device to his chest. "I'm gonna take this call out in the garage."

"No, Jasper! You can't!" Alice flew down the stairs and grabbed the front of his coat. "You can't go! It's not time. It's-it's dangerous. I saw it!"

The smile dropped from Jasper's face, changing to stone at her outburst. He slowly pried her fingers from his coat and backed away from her. "You're lyin' about somethin', Alice. Did you forget I can feel your deception? What are you panicking about?" He lifted his bag, opened the front door and strode through. "And this is some kind of record. Twice in one day you're gettin' told no."

He gently closed the door in her face, keeping in mind no matter how angry he was at Alice, it was Esme's house, and he wouldn't cause any damage to it. A moment later he was in the garage, dragging the tarp from his truck at the far end. "I'm alone now, Pete. What's up?"

"Took ya long enough. I got a situation here."

"What kind of situation?" Jasper climbed into the driver's seat and turned the key. It started right up.

"In about three days I'm gonna have a newborn on my hands, and I think I might need a little help."

Even through the phone, Jasper could almost feel his old friend's desperation. "A newborn? Why do you have a newborn? You know how to handle 'em. What's goin' on?"

"It's a long story."

Jasper was sure it would be. When the garage door was fully up, Jasper drove out, not bothering to close it again. "I'll be in Arizona as soon as I can."

"Well, I'm in Florida right now, but I can head that way. It'll be tricky."

"Tricky?" Things usually were a little complicated when it came to Peter. He hit the gas, giving the Cullens gathered on the front porch a distracted wave as he roared by. "Las Cruces, New Mexico is about half way. You still got that little place near there?"

"Yeah."

"It's a date."

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~2~

~WH~

Words: 1279