Chapter Six
It was extremely hard not to run all the way across the city, knowing Carlisle was just over there. The fact that he was there instead of checking the house first told me that Cole was the reason why Carlisle was here at all. The area he'd taken him was the first spot Cole had met me.
I knew it was only a matter of time before they followed our scents and came here. Carlisle would know exactly where we were if he just tried.
I also couldn't help dreading the moment they did find us. I actually had no clue where to begin explaining myself, and I had no idea what he must have been thinking. This would be the first time I'd see him in months. I also had no idea what to think. Would he be angry? Happy to see me? I didn't know what to expect.
"What if he doesn't come here?" I asked, "Then what?" I looked over at him.
"He will." Jack rolled his eyes, "And how funny. We're standing here, and I don't smell that fucking scent that was on you anywhere."
Meaning, he didn't smell Mikah's scent here. Meaning, he was still focused on that.
"Because I told you." I said, "It was the human I hunted."
"That fucker was still alive when you left him." He snapped, "I'm not fucking stupid."
"Just drop it." I grumbled, looking back out over the dark street. I couldn't help being annoyed.
"How am I supposed to drop it when you're being a goddamn idiot?"
"Don't you think I know that?" I snapped back, "God, just shut up!"
"Watch the fucking tone!"
I went to snap again, but I stopped myself. Instead of shouting, I hissed a deep breath in, biting it back. Fortunately for me, he found that funny. I looked over as he started to laugh.
"Don't fucking explode." He laughed, "What the fuck was that?"
"I don't know." I couldn't help laughing too, "I was gonna keep yelling, but you told me to shut up, so I did."
He laughed again, shaking his head.
We were there only minutes longer. Just a few silent minutes, before both Jack and I were aware of Carlisle's approach. He must have found our scent, but he was alone. He wasn't bringing Cole with him. Either Cole didn't want to come, or Carlisle expected an issue. I wasn't sure.
"Get your ass over here." Jack barked at me, and I did. I crossed the yard, coming straight to his side.
Something like shame curled up tightly in my stomach as I listened to Carlisle stop just outside the yard. I kept my eyes down. As happy as I was that he was finally there, I couldn't even look at him.
"About fucking time." Jack was the first to speak.
"Jack." Carlisle greeted, very unsure. I didn't blame him. I was pretty unsure myself.
"Seriously." Jack went on, "It took you long enough. Where the fuck have you been?"
"I wasn't aware I was expected somewhere." He admitted, "I came as soon as I was told I was needed." Well, that confirmed my suspicions. Everyone believed Jasper. I closed my eyes briefly, hanging my head a little more before I chanced a glance over at Carlisle.
I immediately looked away as I saw he was looking at me, though. I didn't even look at him long enough to see his reaction to seeing my eye color for the first time. I didn't want to see it.
"So you really weren't looking for her?" Jack pointed over at me.
"No." He replied quietly, "We were under the impression, Leandra, that that wasn't what you wanted."
"Jasper lied to you." I murmured, finally fully looking over at him, "I never ran away that night. Not on my own. He made me leave." This time, I did watch the emotions cross his features. Confusion was a big part of it, but in keeping that eye contact, I could feel the slight anger in my eyes fade into hurt.
"But why?" Carlisle finally asked, frowning, "I never thought it went that far."
"I didn't either." I mumbled, "Or else I wouldn't have gone with him. He said it was because I was a mistake. I was never meant to be turned. He said I cause more problems than I helped, and I guess he's not wrong, but.. I never meant to cause any problems, Carlisle."
"We will sort this out." He told me.
"You want to?" I asked, and I couldn't help being surprised.
"Of course." He replied immediately, and instantly, I felt the small spark of hope again. The one that had nearly been extinguished over the long few months, but thinking twice about it, I was hesitant, and I knew he could see that.
"I don't know." I admitted, glancing up at Jack and his bored expression. I had to think twice. For my own safety, and for theirs. What would happen to them if I chose to come back? It would all just start over again.
I felt like I had to say something, though.
"I never wanted to leave." I went on, shaking my head a little, "I even tried to come back."
"You did?" He asked, obviously surprised.
"Yeah." I muttered, looking back down, "But Jasper found me first. He told me everyone left, and he told me not to come back. I didn't go back, because well.. That time scared me."
"I can't believe it." Carlisle sighed, mainly to himself, clearly in heavy thought.
"I was standing right fucking there." Jack decided to add, and I looked up at him, "If it wasn't for me, he would have caught her ass."
"You saved her?" Carlisle asked in return, and I nodded.
"She owes me." Jack murmured firmly, knowing what he was getting at. I looked down at that statement as he went on, "I wasn't gonna let that shithead rip her apart before I get what I want out of her."
I could see in Carlisle's expression that he was piecing together the arrangement I had with Jack. It wasn't hard to figure out what he meant by what he said, so it didn't take him long to understand. I could only glance now. I couldn't even look at Carlisle, because I knew Jack was right.
Jack waited for Carlisle to look to him again in what looked like horrified shock before he spoke up again.
"Are you telling me that you don't know your fucking coven well enough to know when they're lying straight to your face?"
"I give my family the benefit of the doubt." Carlisle replied flatly, "And given her history, I can't say I questioned it, but we always believed she would come home some day."
"I couldn't." I said, and he looked at me, "I couldn't come back. Not with Jasper still there. I didn't wanna cause more problems, so I thought it would be better if you found me. I needed you to find me."
That last part of that statement slipped into being a quiet accusation.
I understood. I did understand that Carlisle had been lied to. Badly betrayed by one of his most trustworthy family members, but another, smaller but stronger part of me wanted to blame him. For letting that happen. Despite knowing that it wasn't his fault.
"I promise." Carlisle finally replied, "I'll make this right. I only need you to tell me how." He was just as lost as I was.
Even if they were fixed, set right with each other, I still had to change. I couldn't go home even if I wanted to. It was so hard to finally fully force myself to think that way, but I managed to.
"We just need to get everyone in one spot." I answered, "Jack says he tried to undo whatever might be wrong with Jasper, but it didn't work. I think it's because they all have to be together."
"That would make sense." Carlisle nodded, and I was surprised.
"It does?" I asked hesitantly.
"Leandra, it's more than diet that holds us together."
"It's the ties." Jack grumbled nearly inaudibly. He really seemed like he hated to admit that, and I caught on. I'd been right from the beginning. They needed to be together to fix the bonds that had been strained. Jack could fix them, and he didn't want to admit that I'd been right. He'd known all along that I'd been right.
"So.." I looked to Carlisle again, hesitating a second, "Do you think you can do that? Get everybody together? It's the last hope I have to fix what I did."
"Of course." He replied, "But.. This is a very difficult situation, Leandra. I believe you, but I feel we need to approach this cautiously."
"Jasper." I guessed, and he nodded again.
"The last thing we want is to turn him away." He replied, "If the others are what you need, I'll get them. Just hang on." He immediately reached for his phone.
"Carlisle," I asked hesitantly, and he paused, "What if Jack can't fix what's wrong? What if it's actually me that made him act like that?"
"Don't worry about that right now." He assured me, "I've found you again. We're not going to lose you again." I couldn't help it. I whimpered and stepped forward enough to hug him. It almost amazed me that Jack allowed it.
Carlisle still cared about me. I couldn't believe it. I tensed for a second as he returned my hug, before I had to step back. I was torn as I realized I couldn't be selfish anymore.
One step at a time, I told myself. I would face that when I had to. Not a second sooner.
Before I could even focus too much on that, though, my entire mood changed. In a split second, I went from cautious and sad to fearful and alert. A sudden, twisting fear told me something was about to go wrong.
I had no idea what was telling me to go, but I had no choice but to listen. I found myself looking back, toward the west.
"What's wrong?" Carlisle instantly caught on, but I didn't even know. He must have seen the sudden panic in my eyes.
"We have to go back." I said, glancing back at Jack, "Now."
"What the fuck..?" Jack asked, but before he was even halfway through the question, I was too far away to hear him. I'd never been in such a hurry, and I didn't even know why. All I knew, was that I had to get back to Forks.
This wasn't for me, but for someone else, and to my intense surprise, both of them were following me. It was such an odd feeling, being so small and weak compared to the both of them, and be leading both of them just as easily as I would lead Gage and Brett.
They both had drastically different reasons, but whatever those reasons were, I was leading them and they were following me.
I shook off that surprise, concentrating as we arrived back in the tiny town across the country from where we first were. I never stopped, but I slowed a little bit. Toward the center of town, I caught a very familiar scent, and immediately began following it. It was Laurent, and I wasn't sure where he was going.
"What the fuck is he doing here again?" Jack asked, having caught up.
Last we'd heard of Laurent, he was in Seattle. He wasn't anywhere near the Cullen's house, so it wouldn't be that he was rechecking.
"Where's he even going?" I asked, frowning a little. This part of town wasn't that familiar to me, but Carlisle pushed ahead. I glanced over, but allowed him to move on ahead.
The scent grew stronger before it shifted directions, but to my surprise, Carlisle stopped. He suddenly broke off, and without even thinking about it, I followed him.
Jack continued on, probably still following Laurent's scent as it kept going toward the outskirts of town.
Carlisle didn't even seem to notice that I'd followed him until he finally looked down at me as we stopped outside a rather plain two-story house. The front door in front of us lay half on its side. Clearly just kicked in.
"Leandra," He spoke tensely, "You shouldn't be here." Because of the blood I could smell?
"I'm okay." I assured him, and that was all he waited for. I had to admit, I was curious. I waited outside while he turned and went inside the house. Probably to check on the bleeding person inside.
Whoever it was was still alive, and not bleeding as bad as it seemed at first. The wound had already had time to clot, slowing the bleeding on its own.
I was only outside alone a few seconds before I decided to look around. Looking for a clue as to who lived here. The scent was slightly familiar, but it was different. Nothing I'd really smelled before.
I looked back to the side of the house, finding a cop car parked there. I narrowed my eyes a little in thought, finding that particular car to be familiar, so I searched my memories.
It took me a moment, but I finally remembered where I'd seen that car before. The first vision I'd ever had, the very beginning. Of course, I'd seen it since then, but the memory of the beginning of the first vision I ever had was the strongest reference I had. I'd been inside that car before.
That was Charlie Swan's car. This was Bella's house.
I turned and ran inside, despite knowing Carlisle already knew. I found him in the living room, kneeling beside Charlie laying unconscious on the floor. He was just starting to come around, so I knew it wasn't that serious. It tested me, the blood continuing to slowly pool from the fairly large gash over his forehead, but I was able to resist in the panic of the situation.
I did a thorough search of the house, hating every passing second. Even testing a breath in. Laurent had definitely been here, but the only blood scent in the house belonged to Charlie down stairs.
"Carlisle," I spoke clearly the moment I was back at his side, and he looked up at me, "Bella's not here. Please tell me she's with Edward."
"No." Carlisle replied, standing up and reaching for the phone in his pocket, "She's not. Edward is in Seattle."
Looking for me. They all were.
Carlisle dialed a number, already heading out the door. I watched Charlie, though, my entire focus on that damn wound. It was covered, but without any pressure over it, it continued to slowly bleed.
I refused to breathe, kneeling down and pressing over the wound myself. Focusing now on every bit of strength I used, just to be careful.
I jumped only a little as his eyes suddenly opened, fear in them for the briefest of seconds before the pain obviously hit him. He looked up at me a second later, my hand still pressing on the thick cloth covering the wound.
I refused to even look him in the eye, still focusing on the pressure. It was silent for a minute or two before he reached up himself to take over the pressure, allowing me to move my hand away. He'd calmed down, groaning as he sat up.
I continued to kneel there, though, frozen in uncertainty. As slowly as I could, I wiped the blood I felt on my hand onto the carpet beside me, but otherwise, I was stone still as he stiffly looked over at me. I could hear Carlisle outside talking on the phone, so he wasn't paying attention to me.
It occurred to me that I had come a long way. Though the burn was incredibly painful, I had the restraint it took to kneel less than a foot away from an open, bleeding wound, and not instantly pounce on it.
I'd come a long way from the flimsy newborn that couldn't even resist Jack's blood.
I kept my eyes down as he studied me. I wasn't sure what to do. I knew I probably should get out of there, but I was stiff. Like him just looking at me made me too fearful to move.
"Leandra?" His voice was gruff, but I could clearly hear the recognition in the weak sound. In reflex, I looked over at him, responding to my name. Instinct had him tense the second I looked at him, as if he didn't know his brain was telling him that I was dangerous.
It was probably really confusing for him. His instincts were telling him to panic, but his conscious mind only saw a little girl. Even in the dark of the room, he saw me. He recognized me, and probably saw the crimson hue to my eyes.
I wasn't aware that he knew who I was this time, so it puzzled me. Charlie, however, was far more puzzled. Confused, and simply floored.
"You're alive?" He asked, and it started to make sense. He was the chief of police in the same town as the doctor that officially filed me dead. Charlie's signature was on those papers as well, so he knew my name. He knew who I was. I'd been a person to him.
I didn't know what to do. I just stared. I couldn't even speak to respond, as that required breathing to do so. We could always spin this to be a result of a head injury, but it still made me nervous. I hadn't been expecting him to know me, but now that he recognized me, it would be a bit pointless to deny it.
Silently, I shook my head. Answering his question. No, I wasn't alive. I was there, but I wasn't alive.
Carlisle then seemed to realize that I was still in here, returning as fast as humanly possible. I looked up at him as he approached with a quick jog, taking in the fact that Charlie was not only awake, but staring right at me with the same confusion I wondered about.
Before Carlisle even had to say anything, I rose smoothly to my feet and walked away.
"Leandra?" Carlisle asked, and I paused long enough to look back at him, "Stay close. Please." I didn't feel like agreeing to that, in case something came up, so without acknowledgement, I continued on out the door.
As soon as I stepped outside, I caught the sound of heavy, running footsteps our direction. Long before any scent made it to me, I picked up on that sound, and I knew I didn't even need the scent to tell me who it was running full speed for me. It was Emmett.
I knew that sound well, because he was always with me during my early newborn days. He was alone, which made me feel safe. I couldn't help myself. I ran toward the sound as well, meeting him just up the street and hugging him as soon as we stopped, my arms closing around his waist.
He wasn't having that, though. He pried my arms loose, stepped back just enough to kneel down and he hugged me back.
I couldn't help remembering how close I was to giving up this feeling. I was this horrible person, a disgrace to my family and had already taken countless human lives. When it came to hugs like this, though, I felt extremely small and vulnerable, but it was okay with me.
"Shorty." He seemed so relieved that I was there, "Where the hell have you been?"
I would fill him in later. Hopefully with the others there too. For now, a hug was enough. I wasn't even sure if he'd seen my eyes yet. I hadn't yet given him the chance, but I knew my scent had to tip him off.
Sure enough, when he pulled back to look at me, he didn't look all that surprised. Either he could tell, or Carlisle had filled him in. I wasn't sure, but I had to ask him something.
"Is Jasper coming?"
"I think Alice is bringing him." Emmett replied, "Esme wasn't far behind me. Carlisle said we had to all meet up?" He was prompting me, hoping to get some information.
I suddenly remembered. Looking back behind me in the direction Jack had gone. He wasn't here.
"Dammit!" I couldn't help swearing. Everything I'd been waiting for was in the process of happening, and Jack was nowhere to be found.
Before I could get too upset about that, though, I listened hard enough to find the sound of his running strides. I'd know that anywhere as well. They were getting stronger, so he was headed back this way.
"What?" Emmett asked, concerned.
"Nothing." I said, calmer, "He's coming back.." I trailed off there, because the scent coming from that direction confused me. With a quick glance to Emmett as he stood up, I knew he was confused as well.
We both watched, confused and frozen as Jack just walked right passed us toward the house. Bella draped in his arms, unconscious but physically fine. Without missing a beat, he walked inside the house and dropped her roughly on the couch. He didn't even pause. He just turned right back around and left the house.
He crossed the street, right toward us.
"There." He said, coming to my other side, "Now can everyone calm the fuck down?"
"Tell that to Charlie." I muttered, "I don't think he was whacked in the head hard enough to forget this night happened."
"I can fix that." Jack replied easily.
"Don't." I immediately barked, "Don't. It was a joke." He shrugged, but stayed put, waiting along with us.
"You're awfully calm for someone that's about to die." Emmett spoke up, and I looked over at him. He was talking to Jack.
"You need him." I mumbled, focusing on the house again. Bella was still out cold, but Charlie was up and moving around. Carlisle was trying to give him some sort of answer to keep him from flipping out while making sure Bella was okay. Laurent certainly made a mess of things.
I had to wonder, though. Why would they come here looking for Bella? It wasn't Edward's fault this time. It had been mine, but they blamed the family. Could it be because I had mentioned that she was human?
Being human made her vulnerable. Being vulnerable made her a target. A way in. Perfect for revenge.
I frowned, "Emmett?"
"Yeah?" He asked, still tense at Jack's presence.
"How.." I hesitated, hoping I wouldn't be smacked by Jack for asking this, "How did you know I was in Seattle?" What made them go there tonight? It was becoming clear to me that that hadn't been a coincidence.
"A text message." He answered, looking down at me. I frowned a little more. Behind us, Edward arrived, but he didn't stop. He ran right inside without even slowing down.
I would assume Emmett would have told me who the message was from if he knew, so I didn't even bother asking that question. I just didn't get who would have known I would have been there when I was.
"And.." I went on, quieter, "What did it say?"
"It just said your name, and Seattle." He replied, "We really didn't know what it could mean, so we went there, but we wanted to be safe doing it. Lucky we did, because that's when what's-his-face showed up."
"Cole." I gathered, and he nodded.
"He said he was a friend of yours."
"Who the fuck is Cole?" Jack frowned down at me.
"He's just someone I asked to keep an eye out." I answered easily, too distracted to make much of a deal over it, "He was the one that brought Carlisle to New York."
"You're recruiting other vampires now?" He barked, "I knew about those little brats in Colorado, but what the fuck?"
"He knows about the kids?" Emmett asked, surprised.
"He met Shannon the night I told her they needed to leave." I replied, still distracted.
It was becoming clear that whoever messaged them and told them to come into town was trying to get them out of the way, so Laurent would have a clear shot at Bella, but it had to be timed perfect.
They'd been there before looking for me, but tonight was different. Tonight, they had confirmation that I was there.
That had been a set up. Not anticipating Cole's arrival.
But that didn't explain why Laurent was upset when the Cullens weren't there. Maybe he wanted an audience. Maybe he wanted someone to spread the word about what happened.
"Shorty." Emmett pulled me out of my thoughts, "What the hell happened to you?"
I hesitated a second, looking up at Jack. I wasn't even sure what I expected, but I didn't know what to say.
Thankfully, before I had to wonder too long, I heard Esme's approach. She wasn't alone, but given the sound, it was probably Rosalie with her.
She didn't give me much reaction time, coming straight to me and hugging me tightly. I ignored Rosalie, aside from a confirming glance over Esme's shoulder. I wouldn't let her presence bother me, despite the fact that I knew she was disappointed I had been found.
I greeted Esme just as warmly as I'd greeted Emmett. Despite knowing Jack was standing right there watching. I wasn't sure how it was possible, but she hugged me tighter than Emmett had. I didn't mind that. I just knew I had to be careful, as I didn't want to accidentally hug her too hard and hurt her, but knowing she'd actually missed me gave me hope that this might actually go well.
"Esme." Jack's grinning voice had me pulling back to look back at him, and he didn't even need to say anything. I read exactly what he was thinking in his expression as he looked her over. It bothered me.
I knew I wasn't over-reacting, because Emmett's quiet and brief growl told me he had caught on as well. Esme, however, wasn't bothered enough to move.
"Jack." She greeted bitterly, but she was polite. He chuckled, and I swore he was smug.
"The others coming?" Jack asked her firmly, probably moving on so Emmett didn't snap.
"They're on their way." She answered, and he nodded.
"We'll just wait over here." Jack didn't give me an option, and as much as I wanted to stay here, I turned along with him. We walked away several steps, crossing the street again just as Carlisle and Edward stepped back outside. With a glance at us, Edward followed Carlisle across the street to the others.
"Where's Laurent?" I asked, looking up at Jack, "He had her, didn't he?"
"Don't worry about him." Jack replied, "I think he learned his lesson." I shrugged. He went on, quieter, "Remember your promise. All I have to do is fucking try. If this doesn't work-"
"I know." I muttered, "I remember."
"Then I get whatever I want from you." He went on anyway, and I tried to ignore the way the others looked back at us. They'd clearly heard that.
"Yeah." I grumbled, hating the way he had to announce that. Carlisle knew before, but I could easily see that he hadn't told anyone else.
Carlisle turned to face us, about to say something, when the last two were heard approaching. Involuntarily, I growled a little, stepping closer to Jack's side in instinct. He'd been the last and only one to protect me from Jasper. I knew Jasper wouldn't try anything with the family there, but I still felt vulnerable. In a not-so-good way this time.
My reaction hadn't gone unnoticed by the Cullens across the street, but I was more focused on the urge to run as both Alice and Jasper arrived. Finally making the group complete.
Jasper's eyes found me, and I tensed, but it was completely silent. They didn't know what this was about. Alice knew, and Carlisle knew, but the others had no idea.
"Make it fast." I whimpered, looking up at Jack.
"I'm working on it." He said, "Shut the fuck up."
"Okay, so.." Emmett spoke first, "I guess you two have some sort of disagreement?" He pointed to Jasper and I.
"He knows." I muttered, and he sighed.
"I don't know what story you've made up-"
"I didn't make anything up." I snapped lightly.
"I would like to get to the bottom of this." Carlisle spoke up, taking my attention as he took a few steps forward, "I want to know exactly what happened that night." He already knew my side of it, but he was giving me an opportunity to explain.
It was silent for several seconds after that. Completely silent, aside from the breeze that made its way through the trees around us. Jasper wasn't offering anything, so I decided to speak.
"I didn't.." I replied, "I didn't just run away."
"Obviously she means she wasn't alone." Jasper added, and I growled in response.
"Is that what you told them?" I asked, outraged, "What other lies have you been telling them, Jasper?" How could he do this?
"What is going on?" Esme asked, concerned, "Leandra, honey, calm down."
"Jasper chased me away that night." I said immediately, looking over at her, "He told me to run."
"What exactly happened?" She asked, and I listened to the tension in her tone. I didn't blame her for being tense. She was being told that she'd been fooled all this time when she had been clearly set on keeping me.
Emmett looked over at Jasper, and the expression in his eyes reflected how I felt. If Rose and Alice hadn't been standing between the two of them, I had a feeling Emmett would have hit him without a second thought.
"He chased me off." I replied truthfully, "I didn't want to leave. I wanted to stay, but he wouldn't let me."
"This isn't working." Jack finally spoke up.
"Jasper," Carlisle looked at him next, "Is she telling the truth?" I knew he had to ask.
"Of course not." He replied evenly, calmly, his eyes on me, "Look at her eyes, Carlisle, and tell me she wasn't gone for so long by choice."
"Why didn't you come back?" Alice asked, moving the discussion on before I could get mad.
"I tried to come back." I insisted, "But he told me you guys agreed with him, and had left. He made me leave again."
"She did come back." Jasper confirmed, "It was only a repeat of the last time I'd seen her. She's so explosive, I'm lucky to be standing here." They all looked to me again, but I glared at him.
"You're lying." I shot back at him.
"Explain Jack." He challenged.
"You made me leave." I grumbled, "I went to Seattle to.." I trailed off, knowing exactly how this would sound.
"To?" Jasper pressed.
"To find Jack." I finished, my voice wavering just a bit, "B-But it was only so I could get his help. He was the only hope I had." I doubted that, though. He was right. I didn't have to stay with him this whole time. That doubt came through in my tone, I knew it.
I had to admit to myself that it was because I was scared. I knew that as much as I hated Jack, I could count on him not to let anyone else hurt me.
I looked over at Carlisle, "I stayed there in New York, waiting for you guys to come looking for me, because I knew if I went back, he would just chase me away again."
"And your eyes?" Jasper asked, and I looked down, "Care to explain that?" I knew that would eventually come up.
"Should she have to?" Jack snapped, "She's a fucking vampire."
"Of course she is." Jasper countered, "But Carlisle, don't you think if it was truly not her choice to leave, she would stick with the effort?"
I mumbled now, "I-I thought you guys had left.. I-I thought.. You didn't want me anymore."
"Why didn't you call?" Esme asked, and she sounded so sad.
"I didn't think about that." I mumbled, but Jasper spoke up again.
"She's lying." His voice was so sure, I couldn't even argue with him. He looked over, "Carlisle, look at who she's with. What has she always told us about him? Since we've known her, she's always said that he is very manipulative. It's clear this is a plot to divide us. To cause us to turn on each other."
"I don't want that!" I snapped, "Carlisle, he's the one lying. I swear, he's lying right to your face."
"Why would I return?" Jasper pointed out, his tone still calm, "Why would I come back after supposedly exiling her? I don't think that would be a good idea after going against you like that."
Damn, he was good.
"It happened exactly as I told you." Jasper went on, "We argued a bit, and she got angry. She was angry, told me she was leaving, and I tried to stop her, so she ran."
He was using my past against me. The fact that I had done that in the past was coming back to bite me now. Even Carlisle had said so.
"Try harder." I couldn't help growling over at Jack. I was losing this debate.
"Try what, exactly?" Jasper asked pointedly, and I looked over at him.
"Don't do this." I whimpered. This really wasn't how I imagined this would go. His expression, remaining calm, gave a slight shift to a smug glint in his eyes at the fact that I had to plead now.
"Remind me why I'm supposed to be helping you?" Jack asked me in return, "What is the fucking goal here?"
Floored, I looked over at him. In that moment, everything shifted. Both Jack and Jasper now had a common goal. Ruining everything I possibly had with my family.
For a moment, I caught the sight of doubt in Carlisle's eyes. That gave me another boost I needed to keep arguing my point. I knew the truth. I had to make them see. Right then, I only wanted to clear my name. To prove I wasn't lying, and to show them exactly how bad things had gotten.
"I went with him to that spot." I stressed, taking all of the attention from that side of the street, "That spot outside Tacoma that I thought I found something. When there wasn't anything there and he thought I was wrong, he got mad and said all I did was cause problems. He told me everyone was better off if I left. I didn't want to leave, but he chased me away."
"That isn't true." Jasper spoke directly to me, which threw me off for a second, "I was irritated, that was true, but I wasn't trying to chase you away."
"That's a lie." I snapped in reply, "Stop lying to them. I was doing my best to fit with the family. Why would I just leave like that? I wouldn't! I ran and hid that first night. After that, I went to Tacoma to see Shannon, and then I went to Seattle to find Jack, and ask him for his help to undo whatever he must have done to make Jasper the way he was. I made him agree, and that's why I've been with him so long. So he could undo whatever is wrong with him," I pointed at Jasper, "And get things back to normal for everyone."
Before anyone could say anything else, though, Edward slowly stepped forward. For a moment, I'd even forgotten that he was standing right there. No doubt trying to figure out which one of us was lying. Flinging arguments and accusations at each other across the street wasn't helping anyone.
He would have to be the deciding one here because as much as they wanted to believe me, there was too much evidence against me, supporting Jasper's story.
"Right now," He spoke slowly, "I have to doubt Jasper. Leandra ran to Seattle to find Jack and ask him for his help with the strained bonds between us. She believed fully that he could help."
He'd seen that in my thoughts?
"Her plan all along wasn't to break us up, but to bring us back together." He went on, looking at Carlisle, "She was willing to promise whatever it took to gain his help, fully knowing the consequences of a bargain like that, and that in itself speaks volumes about her intent."
"Jasper?" Carlisle asked, looking back at him. He was silent at first. His eyes were on the street in front of him, no longer even looking at me, but I could see he was thinking.
I knew the others were waiting on his reply, but in a way, I could sense the change. I felt how things had shifted by Edward stepping forward for me.
I didn't let that show, though, as Carlisle looked back at me. I kept my expression as honest as I'd tried to make it the entire night.
"I swear." I mumbled, and I could easily see he believed me. It was just a matter of convincing the others.
"She isn't lying." To my intense surprise, Rosalie spoke up. I had to smile. She went on, almost bitterly, "Jasper told me what he did that night. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't happy about that, but seeing what it's doing to the family, I have to agree that it's best to be honest now." She looked over at him, "I'm sorry."
"Is that true?" Esme asked him, and I knew it would be a thousand times harder for him to lie to her face.
"Tell them, Jasper." Edward murmured in the resulting silence.
"It's true." He finally sighed, "I can't tell you now what made me do that, but she isn't lying. I was."
I sighed hard in relief, glancing up at Jack, but he wasn't that smug anymore. He looked at me, and glanced pointedly at the others.
"Fix it." He growled under his breath. I caught on, taking the nudge. The goal had always been to fix the bonds between them. To do that, I needed to back off the blaming and help them understand each other again.
"I wasn't lying." I went on, tearing my gaze away from Jack, "But.. Don't blame him. Don't blame Jasper."
"How can we not?" Emmett snapped, "Are you kidding me? How can you not blame him? He went behind all of our backs-"
"He was just doing what he thought was right for everyone else." I reasoned, "Rosalie, too. They wanted to protect everyone. They just wanted what was best, and they weren't wrong. I did cause a lot of problems. I always knew that. I guess that's why I never really thought to call, and why I gave up so easy. They wanted what was best, and I wasn't what was best."
I trailed off at the emotion that crept up. It was an odd sort of mix between depression, pain of grieving what all I'd been in the process of giving up, and a deep resignation. It would have to be this way if I was going to fix it. My entire purpose stood across the street from me now.
All I fought for for so long was coming to an end.
"Don't blame him." I whimpered, and I knew all that emotion was coming out with each word, "Forgive him. Forgive each other. Don't fight anymore."
Without a word, Esme stepped forward, crossing the street and hugging me easily. I honestly hadn't thought about how much this whole situation had been hurting me. Now that I had a chance to say these things, it was like holding my breath this whole time.
"We'll work on this." Esme assured me as I held onto her tighter, "It'll get better."
"It's not his fault." I whimpered against her shoulder, and I finally realized that this was all I ever wanted to tell them.
"Esme?" Edward murmured, and she pulled back to look at him, "A word?" I knew my words had to bother him. It sure seemed like it. So I only nodded as she looked to me. She could go. She smoothed my hair lightly before turning and walking away.
I watched after her for a second, suddenly realizing that that was probably the last hug I could allow myself to accept. I took a few seconds to let that sink in, before Jack took my attention with an easy nudge.
I looked up at him, and he gestured with a turn of his head that I needed to follow him. He turned the opposite direction that Esme had gone, and I followed him away. He stepped over and around to the other side of Bella's house. I followed him into the shadows there.
"It worked." He told me, "I found a way. They'll be fine now." I nodded a little, but I knew that wasn't all he wanted to say, so I waited. He sighed, "But.. You're not part of that anymore." He gestured to the group, who now talked among themselves.
"What?" I asked, confused.
"The bond they had with you was getting in the way of their own." He explained slowly as if I was slow, "I fixed it. Removing that bond with you made them fix their own bonds." I was highly upset at this turn of events, but in a way, I was shocked he would even bother to tell me this.
"I-I.. But.." I didn't even know what to say, looking back at them, "So.. It really was me that was making them like that." Just as I looked at them, Edward glanced over as well. I didn't want to complain at this turn of events, because I had said that he needed to fix them, no matter what it took. I didn't know what I expected, but this certainly wasn't it.
"Don't fucking bitch." He grumbled, reaching out and gripping my shoulder. He forced me to face him again, and of course, I allowed that. I didn't have much choice.
"I kept one." He went on, "One bond, because now, it's time to pay up." I looked up at him, suddenly nervous. Every possible scenario ran through my thoughts in a second, my mind panicking but I stayed quite still.
"Now?" I mumbled, glancing back across the street.
"No," He replied sarcastically, "Tomorrow." I flinched at a light slap to the side of my head, "Fucking idiot. Yes, now. You gave me your word that you would give me whatever I wanted."
"I know." I whimpered, but somehow, I was hoping it wouldn't ever come to that. I took a breath, "Well, what do you want?" Maybe it would be something easy.
"I want that." He looked pointedly passed me, and I hesitantly looked back at what he was looking at. It was unmistakable.
He was looking right at Esme.
I suddenly forgot how to talk quietly.
"That's not happening." I immediately said, looking up at him. I hadn't even considered the thought that he would go after her. I was taken so far off guard with that realization. Had he been planning that this whole time?
"It can." He replied easily, "It would be easier with your help."
"I'm not helping you do that." I snapped, "I said-"
"You said you would do whatever I told you if I fixed that pathetic little family." He hissed a whisper, his voice quieter now, "I fixed that pathetic family, and now it's time to keep your fucking word."
"I didn't know-"
"It doesn't fucking matter."
"Leave her out of this." I hissed under my breath, but before I could finish that, he snapped his hand out and gripped my neck, just under my chin and slammed me back against the side of Bella's house. I broke off with a loud growl, but shut up as I saw the look in his eyes.
I should have been surprised that Esme was the only one that came running over, but I really hated the fact that she did.
Jack allowed her to pry his hand off of me, and I suddenly understood his angle. I glared up at him as Esme pulled me a few steps away from him. He was going to use her protective nature to get him what he wanted. Just like he did with my mother.
I pushed passed Esme and pounced right at him. He caught me, swung me around and shoved me away. I landed on my feet, but I wasn't going to try that again.
"Leave her alone." Esme spoke up before I could, using the same words I was going to say.
Carlisle arrived at her side, and I saw potential hope in Jack's plan. Carlisle wouldn't let it work, but I had a sinking feeling that with enough time, Jack could work on that bond between Carlisle and Esme.
"I'll play nice." Raising his hands in a show of surrender, Jack chuckled and walked away, around her and right for me. I glared up at him as he came to my side.
"I'm okay." I glanced over at Esme as she followed. I knew the longer we stayed here, the more time Jack had to work on their bond, so I knew we couldn't stick around too long.
I wasn't going to just sit back and let him do that. I wasn't going to take the easy way and throw Esme under the bus. I cared too much about her to be that selfish.
I hesitated only a second before I looked back and up at Carlisle.
"Everything is okay now." I told him, "Don't blame Jasper for what he did. All I wanted was for you to know the truth."
"Don't leave." He replied, "We will work this out-"
"I have to." I argued, "I-"
"What's your hurry?" Jack asked, and I did hesitate. He was forcing my hand. Removing my choice from consideration. Although I knew it had to be this way from the start, it didn't make this any easier. With a tight breath, I held in a whimper, clenching my fists at my side.
The sudden, intense pressure on me made me snap.
I rounded with a growl of anger, actually managing to slam my fist into Jack's stomach. Knocking him right off his feet and several feet into the trees. The sound of him hitting the ground and rolling a bit knocked me out of whatever rage I'd gotten myself into.
I stood there, frozen as I realized that at any second, he was coming back. With a panicked glance behind me at Esme and Carlisle's surprised expressions, I backed up a step as Jack jumped back to his feet.
I nearly ran at the first hint of the sound, but his chuckle was quiet.
"I'm sorry." I instantly said as he started back our direction. His lack of response made me tense.
"Leandra." Edward spoke a warning firmly, and I glanced back at him right as Jack ran forward. Instinct told me to move, thankfully, so I dropped down right as he swung for me.
I could defend myself if I really had to. Right then, I really had to. He gave me no time to react, though, landing a solid kick right to my face.
As much as it hurt as I landed on my back, I rolled back to get out of the way of another. Landing between Esme and Carlisle.
I rose into a crouch, refusing to let that kick slow me down. Now that I was expecting it, he wasn't as eager to come at me anymore.
"What did I tell you would happen next time?" He growled, pointing at me. I didn't care. He was focused on me again.
"Then do it." I had never spoken to him like this. The tone I used was guttural, almost pure growl in the sound. I went on, my face a deep glare, "You have me, but when you go after them, no deal."
"Okay." He replied simply, "If that's how you want to play it-"
"No one is playing with you." I glanced over, surprised as Edward came forward, stepping halfway in front of me, "Make no mistake, Jack. I am grateful that you brought Bella back safely, but that is the only reason why you're still standing here."
I couldn't help being surprised. Jack had said he'd removed their bond to me. Yet Edward was trying to protect me?
"Yeah?" Jack chuckled in reply, "Don't like my thoughts, do you? You see them. Warn her." He pointed at me, and I glared a bit harder, "It really would be in her best fucking interest if she just does what I want."
"Go." I stopped that right in its tracks, "I'll catch up." Though he smirked, I could see the sudden distrust in his eyes.
He pointed at me again, sharper this time, "You know where to find me."
I narrowed my eyes, but I knew he wasn't wrong to expect me to follow. He turned, and was gone without a glance.
"What is he talking about?" Carlisle was tense.
"Don't say anything." I immediately snapped at Edward, darting to my feet, "It doesn't matter. They don't need to know."
He sighed, "Leandra-"
"I am not," I shoved him a little, "Starting this all over again. No way! Right now, I don't care what he does."
"Easy." He tried to calm me down, holding his palms out toward me, but I went on.
"I'm not letting anyone try to stand between me and him again. This time, I'll be the one that takes it. No more."
"Easy." He repeated, "Leandra, I can't imagine how hard it's been for you since that night. What you've done, just to bring our family back together, is amazing. Your bravery is amazing."
I started to calm down as I listened, convinced now that he wasn't going to spill everything.
"I know I wasn't there a lot." He went on, "But.. I admit it was hard for me to see you like this. For what it's worth, though, I don't believe you were a mistake."
"You don't?" I asked hesitantly.
"No." He replied easily.
"But.." I mumbled, "I'm the whole reason why everyone fought for so long. I got in the middle."
"No," He repeated, "The only mistake was our failure to adapt. Not you."
I shrugged a little, so he went on.
"I got a good look at the way Jack's ability works tonight. It's quite complicated, and it doesn't work quite the way you think it does."
"Then.." I frowned a little, "How?"
"He cannot destroy or create bonds between people." He replied, "He can only work with what is already there. Shifting them, so to speak. Strengthening some in place of weakening others."
That made sense, so I nodded.
"That creates a problem." He said, "Good or bad bond, it doesn't matter. As long as someone has a bond to him to build on, he can manipulate it. Straining them in place of strengthening others." I could suddenly see what he was getting at.
He decided to go on anyway, "The entire time he stood back, he wasn't removing the family's bond to you. He was reinforcing your bond to him."
"But that doesn't make sense." I said, "How could he help tonight?"
"The first time we met him," He explained, "He shifted the bonds between Jasper and yourself greatly. He strained it, and in a sense, he changed it. He didn't have a lot of time, otherwise it would have been more drastic of a change, and what happened that night between you two would have happened a lot sooner." At my silence, he continued, "Tonight, all he did was fix that balance. I have no doubts that what he told you was a lie in an attempt to force your hand. He certainly didn't expect it to backfire the way it did."
"I want to know about this agreement." Carlisle spoke up, having stood in silent thought. I glanced over at him, "Leandra, what did he ask of you?"
"It doesn't matter." I mumbled, shaking my head as I looked down. Honestly, the thought of going against him, especially against my word, scared me, but I would hide that at all costs.
"Come on, shorty." I looked back as the others approached. Jasper and Rose both hung back, but they moved closer.
"It's not gonna change anything." I sighed, turning to look at him easier, "All it'll do is piss everyone off."
With a sigh, Carlisle looked over at the others, "May we have a moment?"
Edward took the hint first, walking away with a small nod. I knew where he was going before he even turned. I watched him walk into Bella's house before anyone else even turned around.
Oddly, Jasper turned around last, lingering until Alice tugged him with her.
"I can't stay." I spoke first, "So asking me to tell you won't change anything."
"Regardless whether it changes anything or not, I'd like to know."
"No you wouldn't." I shook my head, "You wouldn't like knowing. I swear, though, when I promised, I didn't even think he would-"
"Relax." He murmured, and I took a deep breath, "Please. Tell me."
I hesitated for a moment, before I sighed.
"He likes Esme." I admitted, and I knew that was all I had to say, given the shift of emotion in his patient eyes.
"I see." He replied quietly, and I looked down, "I also see what upset you so much."
"I won't let anything happen to her." I murmured, "I don't care what I have to do."
"Leandra, violence isn't always the answer."
"That's not what I meant." I replied quietly, keeping my eyes down.
"Honey," Esme sighed, crouching beside Carlisle to look up at me, "It doesn't bother me."
"You don't know him." I said, "He did the same thing to my mom. He saw her, and that was it. When she started to catch on to what kind of person he was, he used me to make her stay. It's the same thing he's gonna try to do to you. It's what he does."
"Is that why you think you can't stay?" She asked, clearly concerned.
"That's why I know I can't stay." I clarified, "You don't know how tired I am of watching him ruin your lives. Over and over and over again, all because I'm a coward. He's my problem, so I'm just gonna deal with it. I'm tough enough now. I can handle it."
Carlisle sighed, "I'm sorry you feel that way."
"I messed up that day." I replied, "The day I bit him. I know that better than anyone. I know that better than Jasper, or Rosalie. Jack wouldn't even be a problem if I didn't mess up as bad as I did."
"Have you been blaming yourself this entire time?" He asked with a light frown.
"Why not?" I asked sadly in return, "Everyone else does."
"That isn't true."
"That's when everything started to go wrong." I explained, "The day I bit him was the first time I really messed up. The only way I can make up for that, is to keep him away from you. I'll make things right."
"I don't agree with that." Esme spoke quietly, reaching out and gently taking my hands in hers, "Honey, you're so young. The mistakes you might have made were never made on purpose. You've always done the best you can."
"I did agree." I replied just as quietly, "Most of all, I wanted to know that all of you would be okay. I promised him that I would do whatever he wanted if he could just fix what I did, and he did fix it. Jasper told the truth. That's all I wanted."
She sighed, "Honey-"
"From the time I woke up on your couch, all the way up until now, all I've ever wanted was to make it right." I explained, my voice weakening a little, "And now, I'm so close to doing that. All I gotta do now is make myself walk away, but.." I trailed off, the emotion nearly strong enough to hurt.
They had no idea how hard this was for me. It was gut-wrenching, really. A family is all I'd ever wanted. It was everything I'd ever hoped and prayed for, but now I had to accept the fact that I would never have that.
All I would ever have was Jack.
A/N: Not the best place to end it, but it's a fairly long chapter. I hope it was worth the wait. (:
THANK YOU! To my REVIEWERS of last chapter! You're awesomeness! AWESOMENESS!
Chapter seven won't take long, guys. I have it written out. I think I'm getting back into a routine, and you have no idea how happy I am about that. Little KNeu can now walk around without me panicking every step he takes. Although he has attitude now, so I'm not sure I like where this is going. Still waiting on his hair to catch up, though. Seriously. Where is it?
ANYWAY!
Chapter seven will be along soon. (:
Until then, my friends!
Yay!