A Week Later:
It's been a week since Jamie was released from the hospital and is believed to be dead by his two care takers. Jamie knows they took it hard but knows they will be fine. He is healing fine from the gunshot wound and is moving around more since he can't stay in bed anymore. Jamie did meet Edward and wasn't expecting his mother to have an adopted son but also knows he is a vampire like them. Jamie wasn't mad with her about this but was kind of happy he will have an older sibling in his life. They haven't fought or hinted that they dislike each other. Edward has been nothing but helpful since Jamie came here from the hospital. He likes having a human sibling since he never had any when he was human. Jamie does get along with Carlisle but he doesn't seem to trust him 100%. He has trust issues because of Charles and it probably will stay that way. He talks to Carlisle but not for long and just about how he is feeling then they don't talk anymore. Carlisle knew he wouldn't trust him at first and it will take time so until Jamie is ready he isn't going to push him.
Esme on the other hand is very happy having her son back in her life. She spends as much time as she can with him. She doesn't want to miss a moment with him but she also knew he was a teenager and needed his space. A lot has changed about him since he was eleven but one thing that hasn't changed is Jamie loves his mother and wants her by his side.
"Jamie!"
Esme yells for her son at the bottom of the stairs, wanting to talk to him about starting a new school since they move to a different place a few days ago. He seem better, his cracked rib on one side needed to heal still but he seems to be getting better to Esme. Jamie makes a small pained face, holds his side where his rib was since it reduced the pain a little bit. He opens his door and puts his arm on the door, looking down the stairs to his mother.
"What is it mom?"
"Come down here so we can talk."
Jamie rolls his eyes at this since all he wanted to do at this point in the day is rest. He knew taking the pain meds Carlisle gives him would help him but he doesn't know where they are and doesn't want to ask Carlisle when he gets home. That would be admitting to him he was in pain and he didn't want to admit that to him since he has been lying, saying his rib feels fine.
Jamie pushes his body off of the door and walks slowly down the steps, holding onto the wall for support. When he gets down the steps Esme was on the couch and pats the seat next to her telling Jamie to sit down. He walks lipping over to her. Esme has been noticing him lipping lately but when she asked him he said he will be fine but Esme doesn't believe he is fine. She was going to make sure he tells her the truth and then talk to him about starting school again.
"How are you feeling today sweetie?"
Jamie puts one arm on the arm rest with his hand to his head. He makes a motion with his hand turning to the side and the other side, saying a little good. Esme as his mother doesn't believe him and puts a hand on his knee which makes him look at her.
"Jamie, I know you're lying to me. Tell me the truth."
Jamie sighs and looks down at the ground, trying not to move his body that much.
"I don't want you to worry anymore like you have been."
"Jamie, I appreciate you don't want me to but I'm your mother it's my nature to worry so tell me sweetie, what's going on?"
Jamie looks up at her and all he sees in her eyes was concern for him. Jamie sighs again and holds his side when he moves a little bit. He knew getting better will take time but he hated being in pain every day. He always was before he was eleven. He thought Charles causing him pain would be over with but thanks to him he has to endure this every day until he is better.
"Because of him I have to pain again. I thought all of this with him was over with. I thought I would finally be okay but no, he shows him and shoots me, attempting to kill me and now I can't even leave this house or my bed until I'm better and can actually walk without feeling pain."
Esme can see the pain in his green eyes. She didn't know he even felt like this. Esme did feel bad and wished she can take his pain away but she can't. She is there for me throughout this, making up for the years he lost with him. Jamie seems to hide things now from her. She doesn't blame him though.
"Jamie, I know it's not fair that he did this to you. I wish he never found you and shot you. I wish this could have been prevented but Jamie Carlisle says you will be better soon."
"I know what he says mom but I still have to endure the pain because of Charles. Yeah, he is going to jail on a murder charge but that doesn't take away what he did to me."
"Sweetie, listen you have Carlisle, me and Edward to help you with this. You don't have to face this alone or anything else for that matter."
Esme sees a little smile creep onto Jamie's face. He doesn't think she did but she did see it. Jamie lays his head back onto the couch, holding his stomach.
"Are you in any amount of pain honey?"
"Yes, my wound hurts along with my rib. I would have taken the pain medicine that Carlisle gives me but I don't know where he keeps it."
Esme gets up from the couch and goes into the kitchen and opens one of the cabinets. She opens the top of the bottle and takes two pills out for Jamie. She gets him a glass of water and goes back over to Jamie and gives him them along with the water. Jamie pops them into his mouth and drowns them down with the water, hoping this works. Jamie gives her the glass back and lies on the couch. He didn't have enough strength to walk up the stairs to his room.
Esme still wanting to talk to him about school and see what he thought about starting when he was better, but she decides right now Jamie needed to rest and leaves him to fall asleep. She will wake him when it was time for dinner. Esme has been strong for Jamie since he has gotten home. She sees her son in pain and wants nothing more but for it to go away. She hated seeing him this way. She goes into the bathroom that was near the dining room, locks the door and turns the water on. She couldn't be strong right now since she blames herself for what happened to Jamie. She slides down to the ground with her knees to her chest and cries venom tears for Jamie.
Jamie was asleep on the couch and after an hour and a half he was having a bad nightmare of when Charles shot him and actually killed him this time. Charles was telling him he was going to find Juliana and Michael and kill them also for helping Esme and Jamie escape from him. Jamie was trying to stop him by grabbing his ankle but he kicks Jamie, full force, in his face which makes Jamie pass out.
Carlisle and Edward came home from hunting when they see Jamie on the couch saying over and over again that he was sorry and was sweating in his sleep, tossing and turning around, repeating I'm sorry. Edwards drops his bag on the ground and runs to Jamie's side and tries to wake him up. Jamie jumps up, hitting Edward in the process and opens his eyes, seeing it was his older brother.
"Edward? What happened?"
"You were having a nightmare. Was it about Charles again?"
Jamie nods his head at him. He was terrified of this nightmare, thinking Charles will find a way out of jail and find out he is alive and finish the job this time. Jamie wipes his face of sweat and looks around the room for Esme but doesn't see her.
"Where is my mom? Did she leave?"
"No, no Jamie she is here. She wouldn't leave you again; you don't need to worry okay?"
"Yeah I know Edward. I just want to talk to her; I need to talk to her."
Carlisle comes into the room with Esme upon hearing what Jamie said. Esme sees that he was terrified by how big his eyes were and sees him body shaking. Esme takes a hold of him.
"Mom, it was about Charles. Will he find me again?"
Esme rubs his back up and down shaking her head, biting her lip, that she sees Jamie do a lot.
"No, no baby of course not, he is locked up for a long time Jam. He won't find you, you are safe here."
"He went after Juliana and Michael in my nightmare and killed me."
Carlisle knew he shouldn't get into this since Jamie didn't trust him that much but he felt like he needed to help Esme reassure him he is safe here and Charles will not find him. Carlisle goes to the side of Jamie and knees down which makes Jamie look over at him and waits for him to say something.
"Your mother is right Jamie; he won't get out of jail and find you. You live with three vampires and we will protect you. Your safe here, always was and always will be. It was just a nightmare son, it won't come true."
Jamie at that moment was starting to see Carlisle more than a friend but as a father. Just seeing his face expression and his eyes, he sees love, comparison and concern for him. He even called him son like he does to Edward which makes him feel good inside. He thought of him as his son, nothing like a friend.
"Thank you, I know I am."
"Jamie, listen to me, you are your mother's son and my stepson but I love you just as much as I love Edward. You don't think of me as your step father but if anyone, like Charles, tries to hurt you or Edward me and your mother will protect you both no matter what, do you understand?"
"Yes Carlisle I do. I do think of you as my step-father, I understand what I mean to you."
Jamie does something he would never do but he lends in and hugs Carlisle and Carlisle hugs him back. Esme was surprised by this but it meant Jamie was accepting him and trusted him. They let go of each other and Jamie lies back on the couch with his mother and his father by his side. After a while Jamie falls back to sleep, hoping no more nightmares come.
3 Weeks Later:
Jamie, with the help of his new family, has been healing. He isn't in how much pain as he was before and is moving around much more without lipping and holding his stomach. Jamie and Esme talked about Jamie started school soon and Jamie was nervous to start a new school but when Esme told him Edward would be there in a higher grade then him, which made Jamie agree. He knew sooner or later he will have to go to school again. He couldn't beg his mom to have him stay home since she will make him go since education for Jamie was important to his mother.
School wasn't a big thing for Jamie. His mother doesn't know and won't know that he was failing back in his old school. He knew it was because he didn't care to do his work but it was also because he didn't understand all of the material. Juliana was always on his case to get his grades up but it never happened before he 'died'. He just hopes this is different so his mother doesn't get on his case about his grades or he will go crazy.
He was going to start school, along with Edward, tomorrow. Carlisle told him he was better for school and that if he does experience any pain to come back home. This was a whole new school which means new people and new teachers. His friends back in his old school were not friends his mom would approve of. He was into hanging with the bad crowd, not the good kids. To Jamie it shouldn't matter who he hangs out with as long as he doesn't get himself in a lot of trouble.
In the house it was only him and Edward. Esme and Carlisle went hunting and after that they were going to go shopping for food and some new clothes for Jamie for school. Jamie was in his room, laying on his bed, listening to the radio. Music in 1925 wasn't his favorite but he had nothing else to do.
He lies on the end of his bed with his arms on the ground, holding himself down with his hands, making noises with his mouth. He was bored and there was nothing to do when he couldn't leave the house until tomorrow. Edward knocks on his open door and Jamie picks himself up and looks up at him while he was chucking at him.
"Bored, I see."
"Yeah there is nothing to do in this house."
"Let's go outside, throw the ball around until Esme and dad get home."
Jamie puts his shoes on and follows Edward downstairs and outside. Edward grabs the football off of the ground next to the steps leading to outside and throws it to Jamie. Jamie throws it back to him and they do this for a few more minutes until Edward runs at human speed to him and tackles Jamie to ground which makes Jamie laugh a little.
Carlisle and Esme were on their way home and see their two boys playing together and wrestling each other. Esme was surprised to see Jamie smiling and being himself right now since he hasn't been for a while. She was happy to see the son she remembers and to see Edward getting along with him since he is better. The parents take in the scene in front of them before they walk over to them. They are not blood related but they acted like real brothers to the parents and to Esme, Jamie needed this, he needed a brother in his life, the one he was meant to have.
Carlisle and Esme walk hand in hand to their two boys and they see their parents walking over to them. Edward picks the football off of the ground and without Jamie agreeing he picks him up and puts him over his shoulder.
"Edward, Edward! What are you doing?"
"Oh nothing Jamie, I'm just helping you out."
Edward lets him go onto the couch and throws the football to him which Jamie catches and puts it next to him. Edward ruffles his hair when he walks by and Jamie hates that so he takes the football and tries to throw it at him but Edward runs at vampire speed up the stairs to his room.
"No throwing footballs in the house son."
Carlisle informs him again and Jamie chuckles a little. This was the Jamie Esme was happy to see and so was Carlisle. Life did seem better for them especially for Jamie.