Peace of Heart

Chapter Three: Plane Tickets and History Lessons

They'd basically herded the visitors into the house. They hadn't given them much choice. The wolves drove them towards the house, and the Cullens made sure they didn't drift to either side. Now, Jacob was keeping watch. It was a strange predicament, really. The visitors were upstairs, in Carlisle's study. And they were all downstairs, trying to figure out what to do with them, and the message they had brought.

The wolves volunteered ripping them apart, burning the pieces. They had, after all, traveled on their land. The black in their eyes was clear evidense that they hadn't killed anyone though, so Carlisle denied them. Esme was all for hearing them out. Not that they had a lot to tell them. They were only messengers. But that was what they decided to do.

Once upstairs, in Carlisle's study, he sitting at his desk. Alice sat on the arm of the chair in which Jasper sat, nearest a large wooden bookcase. Rosalie and Emmett were on the floor with Reneesme, trying to keep her entertained.

"This is the original," the blonde visitor commented, running her hand over the surface of a painting. Jasper took note of the strong southern accent she spoke with. It was one of Carlisle when he spent time with the Volturi. Aro and Marcus were there also, along with a few of the guards and a few others who happened to be staying too.

"Yes," Carlisle responded. "I believe that one was from the very late 1800s."

"Oh, I know," she said. All the Cullens looked up, not expecting that reaction. Normal passerbys often asked numerous questions about all the photos, paintings, books, etc. The blonde obviously saw the curiousity in their eyes and went on, "I was in it." She pointed to the very edge of the painting, where, sure enough, a blonde woman stood draped in a very revealing red dress, at least for that time era anyway. Next to her, could only be her guard. Taller, dark haired, with piercing red eyes. But that wasn't all. Her guard was in the room with them also. It wasn't a good sign. At least from the last Jasper heard; Volturi Guards were solely responsible for one or more other vampires for the rest of their eternal lives. But not only because of that were they in a bit of danger. But Volturi Guards were picked and selected by a series of tests all designed by Aro and his complex and over exagerated mind. Most of them were ex-soldiers from some country or another, trained to kill if someone even looked at their charges in a disdainful way.

Emmett stood, Jasper following suit. Unsure of how things were going to play out, they waited anxiously for their cue to charge. But Carlisle would never give them one. He strode over to her, held out his hand, whilst looking her over. "I can't say I remember you, unfortunately," he sighed.

The blonde gave him her hand, which he shook, cautiously. "You wouldn't have. Aro liked to keep Jane and I hidden, remember?" Carlisle nodded, still cautiously waiting. "Jayton Whitlock."

Jasper froze, but thawed out quickly. He hadn't heard the name in years. But it didn't mean it was her. Hell, last time he had seen his sister, she was covered in blood, her own, and lifeless in his arms. Or so he thought. Carlisle went on to talking privately with Jayton, whilst the other two were still stuck under their watch. Jayton's guard was surprisingly relaxed after she had introduced herself. John Louis looked over the other photos in the room with a keen eye, running his hand over the works and taking in the detail of each one.

Alice strode over to the third, and still uneased, vampire. She held out her hand for his, which he took immediately, once Jasper had calmed him with his uncanny ability. Alice introduced herself. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ma'am," he said. He released her hand. "I'm Tate. Tate Kotler." He ducked his head a bit, shyly, perhaps, for Carlisle had stopped his discussion with Jayton immediately when he had heard his surname.

"A Kotler?" Emmett asked, intrigued. Kotler nodded. They had all heard the stories. Except for Bella, perhaps. Stories of the adventures, inventions, and perils of the greats. There were many generations to the Kotler name. All had been changed prior to their eightteenth birthday. They were stronger, more useful as a vampire when they were turned at a younger age.

Jasper looked Tate over again, taking note of the dozens upon dozens of scars he was hidind beneath his clothes, which unfortunately could be seen where his shirt sleeves, and the collar ended. He had clearly been changed in a time where there were wars. Newborn Wars. Like Jasper, himself, had been.

"How old are you?" Bella asked, curiousity getting the better of her. She didn't know about any of the Kotler family's accomplishment so it had nothing to do with the prejudices every other vampire coven had against them.

"Twenty-three," he answered solemnly. Jayton and John hesitantly inched closer to him.

Bella sighed and rolled her eyes. Edward chuckled as he continued for her. "How long have you been twenty-three?"

"Two hundred and thirty-seven years," he responded, removing a wallet from one of his pockets and extracting a paper. It was tattered and yellowing. But written on it was his proof of life. July 4, 1772 - Missing.

"Missing?" Alice repeated, reading it from where she sat, again, on the arm of his chair.

"It was a lot easier to just disappear," he explained. He looked down to Jayton, quickly, then looked back to the Cullens. "We should probably go-"

"No," Esme said. "Bella ought to learn the history of the vampire world, shouldn't she? Who better to hear it from; then from someone who was there." Bella perked up at this, suddenly intrigued by the visitors, for once.

"Carlisle could explain it better than we could," Jayton replied, backing into the wall behind her.

"I've already heard Carlisle's story though," Bella replied.

Before Jayton could respond, Nessie pushed through the door of the study, looking utterly enraged, and stalked over to her mother. Then Jasper noticed she was dripping wet. Her bronze colored hair was darker from the water and dripped across the carpets. "Kick. Seth. Out," she demanded. Edward took her hand and led her out of the room. They all waited in silence, listening to Edward physically remove Seth from the house from a floor above, then waited until he and Nessie returned. In that time, Esme had taken Jayton's interest, and was showing her sketches for a room they were planning on adding to the house.

Nessie crawled up onto Jasper's lap, folded her hands together, and looked up at the Kotler vampire. "I want to hear a story," she told him. More demanded, than anything.

Carlisle brought up a few chairs, they all sat. "Right, well, where do I begin?" Tate inquired.

"I think Nessie would like to know how your immortal life played out," Carlisle responded, ushering the poor man to go on.

He tugged at his collar a bit and looked up at Nessie, unwillingly meeting Jasper's eye too, they both glared at each other and a sudden fury over came Tate. Jasper hushed it so he would go on. "I was changed later than my brothers, as you all may have noticed," he gestured to Carlisle, Edward, Esme and Emmett, "I couldn't be changed earlier because we would have been caught." He let that settle among them. Nessie was bouncing on his knee in anticipation. The two that Kotler had traveled with were even listening intently, now. "My hometown in North Carolina was big on vampire hunts, in the late seventeen hundreds. They all started when a family, rumored to be vampires, moved to the town and built their estate from scratch. It was huge. Forty-some acres at first glance, but went on and on. Enormous white house, with blue shudders and a white picket fence. The American dream.

"The father was a doctor. He worked from home and was trusted throughout the town until a few of his patients died. The minister restored the peace in the town. But then his daughter was murdered. They found two puncture wounds in her neck. To humans, sharp teeth, pale complection, and burning in the sun is the mark of a vampire. The entire town was searched. My house as well. But, the beds were slept in, as my siblings and I were still human. And as my family has the-"

"The what?" Nessie shrieked, curiousity seeping through her words. Jasper held her down as she was still bouncing.

"He'll explain when he's finished, Ness," Jacob sighed.

"Right," Tate said, racking his brain to get back where he had left off. "So my parents slept in their beds as well. There was food. And the rest of the family knew better than to keep their.. victims just lying around. We went out to town, during the day. And as you all know, real vampires certainly don't shrivel up and die in the sun." Nessie tried interupting again, but Jasper covered her mouth with his hand, and nodded for Kotler to go on.

"When they searched the doctor's house they found that they slept in coffins. The entire house was dark, covered in cobwebs. Everything vampire stories author's throw together, basically." He paused and looked to his companions. Jayton had lost interest and was staring out the window. Louis was waiting patiently. "Anyway, they were caught and burned at the stake as suspected vampires. We waited a few years and then I was changed.

"Twelve years a new born, I went off to war. Human war, of course, all the blood a newborn could want at my finger tips. When that got old, I moved on to Volterra, stayed with the Volturi as Alec and Jane's first guard. Fortunately, Aro was merciful enough to see Jane was torturing the hell out of the guards, and let us go. Only to bring in an entire new guard for her acts of torture." He looked back to Jasper, and he felt the rush of hatred and fury hit him as Tate's black eyes glared into his gold ones. "I aided the rein of a newborn army in Mexico, for sometime, until-"

"Mexico?" Jasper inquired, sitting up straighter. He remembered his immortal upbringing, studied the scars on Tate's neck and hands again, and tried his best to refocus on the story Tate was telling.

"Maria sought me out. Because of being in the war, with all the experience I had structurizing order in the mess of chaos, she thought I'd be useful."

He stopped, and looked away from Jasper to Jayton. She was sitting on the floor in front of him. Feeling his eyes on her, she nudged his leg with her elbow. "Tell 'em bout your power," she instructed.

Tate sighed, thrusting a hand through his hair. "I can.. I can mimic other vampires powers," he said. Edward sucked in a breath. "As long as I've seen or felt them use theirs."

His power explained to Jasper how he had stepped over the emotion barrier and threw the fury back at him, when Jasper had been sure he had calmed it. "There's more to the story than that," Nessie said. "What happened after that?"

"I went back to Volterra for a year or two as Heidi's guard. When I refused her advances she asked to have me killed. Aro, being none to happy with me at the time himself, had me brought foward to be ripped and burned." He stopped again, trying to hide a smile. Tate smiled at Nessie. "Jay should tell you the rest. It's her story from then on."

Jay, however, looked and felt in no mood to tell a story. She looked up at Tate doused in pain. Noting that pain, he looked to Tate. She rolled her eyes at his blatant ignorance. "I was changed at twenty-one. Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, traveling to Volterra as a newborn was the first time I had ever left. Long story short," Tate started picking up on her annoyance, "I stepped foot into the palace to find them about to kill Tate. Of course, I demanded them to stop and I volunteered to join, if they made him my guard, not that I need one. If he wasn't, he still would have been killed. End of story." She nonchalantly placed her hand on his foot and squeezed until he winced in pain. He hid it well, if Jasper had to admit. Jay stood. "We should be going. We have to see to Tanya, Tate," she said. He stood alongside her and they quickly left, before they could be stopped.

John stayed behind, however. "The Reunion will be in Dallas. Its a secluded area. All vampires, no humans. It should be easy on your way of life," he commented. "Aro may have mentioned that when he told us to find you."

Jasper stood, volunteering himself to walk him to the door. Once there, he had the guts to ask. "What's so important about Dallas? How's it all vampires?"

John smiled. "It's more self explanatory once you get there. The Whitlocks came up with it, of course. But you'll get to meet them. Mister?"

"Whitlock," he stated, hoping beyond hope that he wasn't related to the ones he spoke of.

John bowed his head, and rested a hand on his shoulder. "Good luck," he said, before walking off.

Jasper ran back up to Carlisle's study to find only Alice, Carlisle and Edward still huddled together, reading the written words on the parchment they had been given. "So, a reunion, huh?" Jasper said, rocking on his heels. Alice looked up.

"I don't think their the Whitlock's you know, Jasper," she sighed. Jasper was thrilled by that news. He resented his human family.

Nessie pushed open the door behind Jasper. "Why could Tate's parents sleep?" she asked, remembering Tate's tale. "I found the story about the vampires," she made air quotes around the word, "on the computer with Rose. Jayton's a Whitlock too. Does that mean your related to her, Jasper? I think Maria left Tate for you," she pointed to Jasper, "Jayton didn't like living with the Volturi, I could tell. I think she stayed because she loves," she sang the word, "Tate. Am I right? You guys have to know! Right? Am I right? Are we going to the party? Reunions are like a party. Whose reuniting? Why were they apart?" Nessie was babbling. Jacob came in behind her and lifted her up and sat her on his shoulders. She almost reached the ceiling.

"No one was apart, Ness," Jacob told her. "The old bafoons just want to make sure that everyone is quacking when they say quack." Nessie hit his head with her hand and shook it out when it hurt her and not him. "Are we going?" he inquired, looking to Edward.

"We are. Your not," he growled back.

"Enough," Carlisle raised his voice over them before they started fighting. "We'll take it to a vote." Vampire hearing was a wonderful thing. It let them all to know what was going on without having to go to another room. Of course, it could make them lazy.

Everyone was in the room within minutes, privately debating amongst themselves. "More stories?" Emmett asked, hopefully when he came in and slouched into a chair near Jasper's.

"No."

"Pity," he sighed, shaking his head.

Nessie huffed. "There should be more stories," she wined, crossing her arms over Jacob's head.

"Go ahead," Carlisle said, taking the envelope he had been given and heading for the door. "I'll just be a minute."

"Alright, someone better come up with something good," Emmett said, earning him laughs from the Cullen women.

Bella grabbed a book from the bookshelf, opened it and began to read. Jasper couldn't get himself to pay attention. He had read it already, but that was besides the point. He found himself studying his past, human and immortal. Back, when he was human, the Whitlocks were a big family. He was the sixth of thirteen. They were a musical group, no doubt. His father had written many symphonies and had performed for the church and at town functions. He taught each of them who wanted to learn, how to play. They had all been singing since they could open their mouths. Jasper had built his own piano once, with the help of his elder brothers of course. Besides the point, they had written songs together. They could be catergorized under dozens of genres these days. And if he wasn't mistaken. He had heard them once or twice. He shook his head, denying him to believe the family who had sent him away had moved on and the sold out his songs. There was no way they could even be alive. He was sure of it.

Carlisle came back a while later, passports in hand. "First, we'll take to vote whether we go at all. Rosalie?"

"Of course, it's a party, isn't it? Besides, what better way to pass the time than show up a bunch of southern hillbillies." She smirked. Jasper rolled his eyes. Certainly anyone southern was a hillbilly in her book. Even him, for Christ sake.

"Sure," Emmett volunteered. "Why not? All vampires, right? We get to go out and see actual people."

Esme uttered a simple yes, keeping her comments to herself. Bella shook her head, no. And when asked why not, she said, "what if this is just some trick of the Volturi's to-"

"They wouldn't do somethin' like that," Jasper cut her off, relieving her of the stress it was starting to cause her.

Everyone else agreed, willingly.

Unfortunately for Edward, everyone also agreed Jacob should tag along; should they need any wolf assistance, they would have him. And he could get to the other wolves if they needed more help too.

Carlisle handed Esme her passport. "Good, now that that's settled. We leave tomorrow. Get packing."

Right, well. It's long. And just sitting and talking seems utterly pointless. But this isn't even a filler chapter as knowing what's in it is nessicary for the rest of the story. I'm not sure having characters regularly singing and writing songs that are actually real is okay. But there's songfics aren't there? It really isn't any different. The songs WONT be mine, obviously, nor do I claim, or will ever claim, that they are. Oh, the story Tate told, was a legend I found whilst researching on line, edited and fitted so it worked out with his life story of course.

So one may ask what's up with the Kotlers? Well, one might actually have to put the story on alert and wait and see(:

I appreciate reviews. But no flame. Seriously, if ya didnt like it, you wouldnt have even gotten to chapter three to read it, unless your my lovely Twilight hating reader who secretly loves this story. Anyway, Enjoy..

-Slytherinchickk

Reviews would be lovely(: