A/N: Another chapter! Crazy huh? I know I haven't updated 'TWCRS' in forever, but I haven't forgotten it. It's just that this story has taken up my imagination for the moment and the other one isn't talking to me right now. A disclaimer for this chapter (not a bad one, trust me) I'm not sure I handled Edward's talk with Jasper's parents well. It's not a talk I've ever had and I hope I paced it appropriately. But I couldn't make it better, so if you have a problem with it, forgive me. Second, despite my desire to be an astronaut, I'm not a scientist. The explanation for the turning process is just me making shit up. I wanted Jasper to have his curls, so if my explanation for why he does isn't scientific or accurate, here's my reasoning: Because I said so.

Well, with that out of the way, Enjoy!


Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight and all recognisable characters, no infringement is intended. Only the plot is mine.

Chapter Eleven

"When you lose someone you love, you die too, and then you wait around for you body to catch up." ~John Scalzi 'Old Man's War'

Edward watched as person after person entered the hospital room. Some were regular visitors like Jacob, Rosalie and Alice, while others were people from town who had only met Jasper once. It seemed like once Jasper was on death's doorstep everyone wanted to be part of the tragedy that was his life. Everyone likes to be part of the drama, Edward thought bitterly.

It had been five days since Jasper had been admitted to the hospital. Five days of waiting and hoping that he would wake up. Five days of his outlook becoming bleaker.

Edward had reached the hospital in record time only to find that Jasper had gone into a coma overnight. The paramedics had been unable to revive him and he was immediately placed in a room and put on life support the moment he entered the hospital. Carlisle ensured that Jasper had received a private room and since then Edward, Margaret and Richard hadn't left Jasper's side.

Carlisle tried to encourage Edward and tell him that Jasper would be okay. That there was still a possibility that he would recover, but Edward knew better. The past five days of doing nothing but sitting by Jasper's bedside had given Edward time to think. He could see the gaunt, pale face of his love – when had he lost so much weight? Without the light in Jasper's eyes, without Jasper's personality drawing attention, Edward was able to see just how poorly Jasper actually looked.

He was thin. The hollows of his cheeks were clear and brought into even sharper contrast by the sickly pale of his skin. Jasper's skin could rival Edward's in paleness, but while Edward's paleness gave him an ethereal beauty, Jasper's only made him look that much closer to death. And that was something that Edward didn't need reminding of.

Despite all this Edward couldn't bring himself to look away from Jasper. He was terrified that he would look away and that would be the last moment for him. There had already been a close call. Edward had stepped outside for a moment to talk with Alice. They had only been talking for five minutes when the alarms in Jasper's room had gone off. Jasper had stopped breathing and even through the doctor's and nurses had been able to start his breathing again and insert a breathing tube, Edward wouldn't risk it happening again.

He hadn't eaten since Jasper had been admitted, hadn't showered, and rarely spoke with the visitors. He just sat and watched Jasper. He watched each machine-forced breath as Jasper's chest rose and fell. The beep of his heart monitor was a cruel lullaby in the quietness of the hospital wing.

There was no doubt in Edward's mind about what he would do. He would change Jasper no matter the cost. Even if he had to steal him from his hospital bed, Edward would change Jasper. But he knew that Jasper would prefer his parents to know. And Edward just couldn't force himself to be cruel enough to kidnap their sick son from his deathbed and never let them know what happened to him.

Edward made up his mind to tell them and after days of fretting about what to say, Edward decided that brutal honesty was what was necessary. He couldn't wait any longer anyway. Jasper as quickly going and Edward wanted Jasper's parents to completely understand what was going to happen.

It was hard to find a time to talk to them. Even though the three of them were always in the room, nursing staff, doctors, and other visitors always interrupted them. It wasn't until Jasper had been in a coma for a week that Edward could be assured that they wouldn't be interrupted. Edward even had Carlisle help guarantee their privacy.

The three of them had gotten into the habit of not speaking to each other. They each spent most of their time watching Jasper and silently urging him to wake. So when Edward cleared his throat and turned to look at Margaret and Richard, he immediately felt like he was intruding on a private moment.

"Richard, Margaret, there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about. I don't exactly know how to say this, so I'll have to apologise if I don't explain myself properly," Edward said. As he waited for Margaret and Richard to mentally prepare themselves, he searched their minds. He allowed himself to become familiar with the way they sounded and thought so that he could approach them better. Richard nodded at Edward and he took that as his cue to continue.

"I want you to know that I love your son. Jasper is—he's the most amazing person I've ever met. The moment I saw him I knew that he was someone I needed to know. And every moment I've spent with him has just made me grow to love him more."

"Oh son," Richard started. Edward held up his hand to stop him from continuing.

"I know that I will love Jasper, and only Jasper, for the rest of my life. I know that he is the person for me. That is why I'm coming to you now. There's something you need to know about me and my family. You'll think me crazy, but I need to tell you because Jasper wasn't able to."

"Edward dear, I know that you loved Jasper," Margaret said, "But I think that the way you're holding on to him is unhealthy. Jasper wouldn't want you to spend the rest of your life pining after him."

"Margaret I understand your concern but if you'd just let me continue…"

"And I'll be eternally grateful that you were there to make my son's last weeks wonderful. I've never seen him as happy as when he was with you." Margaret started crying with each word. She buried her head in her husband's chest and only her sobs could be heard in the room. Richard muttered to his wife, trying to calm her down.

"We're worried about you now son," Richard continued when he became clear that his wife could no longer talk. "We told Jasper not to lead you one. That this could only end in heartbreak. But at the same time, I'm selfishly glad that you ignored us because you gave him his life back, if only for a moment. And as Margaret said, we'll be eternally grateful. If you ever need anything, we'll do what we can to help.

"And Edward, don't feel guilty about moving on. Jasper would want you to be happy. So even though Jasper feels special now, don't let that stop you from experiencing love with someone else."

"No, would you please stop," Edward interjected. "I'm not holding out false hope on Jasper. I'm being very realistic about this. I'm in love with your son. I will never love another person like I love Jasper. And I won't ever need to."

"Edward –"

"Please just wait and listen." Edward stopped to calm himself so that he wouldn't yell at them. He knew that Jasper wouldn't appreciate him exploding at his parents. "My family is different. We're… special. See we have exceptional health and extremely long lives. We're fast, faster than cars. And we're three times stronger than any man," Edward could see the questions forming on Richard and Margret's faces, so he quickly continued on before they could interrupt him, "We aren't normal humans. Jasper knew about what we are and a few days ago he decided that he wanted me to make him the same as me. Because he wanted to live and be healthy, and I can give him that."

"Is it a medical treatment?" Richard asked warily.

"No, what I am isn't anything medical or natural. Well, not natural in the normal sense at least," Edward hesitated. Despite his brain's super-human ability to process thoughts, he couldn't think of a good way to relay what he needed to say. "Jasper wanted to tell you himself. He – he was going to tell you before… and I'm not really sure how to tell you this in a way that you'll believe me."

He took a deep breath, not out of need but to calm his nerves, and decided that if the direct approach worked with Jasper, then hopefully it would work with Jasper's parents. He looked at Richard and Margaret directly in the eyes and tried to convey as much honesty as he could, "I'm a vampire."

The looks on Margaret and Richard's face would have been humourous if Edward hadn't been so tense and nervous. Instead Edward interpreted the look of shock, bemusement, and wariness, as denial and disbelief. His mind was assaulted with their thoughts, and the overwhelming thoughts were: This boy is crazy and What the fuck is he talking about and What kind of sick joke is this when my son is dying?

Edward knew that he would have to prove it to them. So he stood up and looked around the room for something indestructible. He spotted Margaret's gold necklace.

"Margaret, is that necklace important to you?"

She furrowed her brow, "No, I bought it at Target. Why?"

"May I have it?" She studied Edward, then brushed her hair out of the way and removed her necklace. Edward snatched it away before she could change her mind and promised to replace it. He clenched his hand around the necklace and felt the gold crumble with the force. Edward reached out his hand and opened it up to Richard and Margaret. Her necklace had turned to gold dust.

"What?" Margaret whispered. She reached out and Edward let the gold powder fall into her hand.

"I'm extremely strong. There's nothing here that I couldn't destroy. If course I've had years of practice in controlling it." Margaret didn't say anything. She dragged her fingers through the powder in wonder.

"Try something else," Richard said. "How do we know you didn't have a chemical or something on you that would dissolve it?"

"Yet my hands remained unharmed?" Edward challenged.

Richard lifted his head and pursed his lips, "I still don't believe you."

"Fine," Edward said. He focused on Richard's mind, shifting through all the thoughts in Richard's head. And there, underneath all the disbelief was a glimmer of hope.

Is he saying he can save him?

"Yes Richard, that's exactly what I'm saying. I can save Jasper."

Richard's eyes widened momentarily but then became guarded, Why did he say that? I didn't say anything about saving Jasper.

"I can read minds. It's not something every vampire can do, but I can. My sister, Alice, sees the future. She's how I knew Jasper was coming here. She's how I knew that he was important to me."

Edward could see Richard beginning to open up, but he was still unsure.

"Test me."

"How should I do that?"

"Think something outrageous. Something I'd never be able to guess." Richard silently took up the challenge started thinking of random things, searching through his memories and interests to find something random to think of.

He finally settled on a song and started singing the chorus in his head, The Union forever, Hurrah, boys, Hurrah! Down with the traitor, up with the star.

"You're singing the Union Battle Hymn of Freedom from the Civil War. You put your love of history and learning into Jasper and when he was a kid you'd take him to Civil War reenactments. That song always reminds you of those times, when Jasper would sit on your shoulders and you'd tell him all about the battle." Edward relayed as the thoughts and connections ran through Richard's mind.

"How did you know that?" Richard tried to be mad but instead his curiosity got the better of him.

"You told me. It was all there in your mind."

"Fine," Margaret interjected before Richard could say something, "let's say we believe you. You're a- a vampire. Why are you telling us this?"

"Because I can save Jasper. A few days ago Jasper told me that he wanted to become a vampire. He wanted you to know that he would live, that he would be healthy again, that I will love him and my family will keep him safe."

"You're saying that to save my son's life you want to turn him into an immortal mythological creature," Richard said sardonically.

Edward ignored the scorn, "Yes."

"And why are you telling us?"

"Because Jasper wanted you to know. And once he's able to control himself, he wanted you to know that we would visit you as often as we can. Or you can come visit us. Or even stay with us, if that's what it takes. I just want to save Jasper before it's too late and I know that he would want you to be in complete agreement with him."

"How are we supposed to believe this? What you're asking us to believe is completely outrageous."

"I'm not asking you to completely believe me right now. I know it's too surreal to believe. But I want you to give me a chance. The only way you'll be convinced is when you see Jasper alive and healthy. I'm asking – no begging – you to give me that chance." Edward waited, knowing that there was nothing more he could say. He stood up, "I'll give you sometime to talk alone."

Edward left the room and went to think in his office. He shut the door to keep people from finding him. He knew that if anyone tried to talk to him at that moment that he would snap at them. Instead he focused his mind on Jasper.

If – no, he forced himself to think positively, not if, when – Jasper's parents agreed, he would bite Jasper as soon as possible before it was too late. Once Jasper appeared dead, Carlisle would declare him dead and Edward would take him to the morgue. Then he would call Alice and she would drive to the exit of the morgue, load Jasper into the car, and take him to the Cullen house for Jasper to complete the transformation.

After the first hunt, Edward planned for them to go to Alaska so that Jasper could learn to control himself in an isolated place but a place close enough that the Cullen's could visit them. Edward also hoped that by being only a few hours away from his parents Jasper would adjust better. Maybe he would even be able to control himself sooner if he knew that he could see his parents as soon as he had control.

Edward was serious when he told Edward and Margaret that they could visit Jasper or even stay with them. If they didn't want to be separated, Edward wouldn't make them. He would do anything to make them agree. He'd fly them around the world if they would only believe him and let him turn Jasper.

And if they didn't… Edward couldn't even think about that. Losing Jasper wasn't an option in Edward's mind. If his parents didn't agree Edward would do it anyway and be wracked with guilt for the rest of his life. That was a small price to pay for Jasper's life.

Jasper.

Edward closed his eyes and brought up an image of Jasper in his mind. His smell, his eyes, the steady beat of his heart. All those things would change once he was turned and a part of Edward would miss that. He committed the human Jasper to his memory. He recalled every conversation, every thought that Edward had ever heard in Jasper's mind. He burned it all in his mind, knowing that human memories dimmed in comparison to all the vampire senses. Edward knew that one day Jasper would want to remember who he used to be, and Edward would make sure that he would be able to tell Jasper everything down to the way he tasted when they kissed.

Edward lost track of time until a knock on the door brought him back. "Come in."

The door opened and Richard poked his head in. "We've come to a decision, and we'll tell you together. But I wanted to speak to you alone."

Edward motioned for the empty chair across from him. Richard sat down and studied Edward with a steady gaze. Edward tried not to read Richard's mind so that Richard could feel like he had an advantage. It was, after all, his son they were dealing with. The examination made Edward feel like he was in a 19th century novel and he was the unworthy suitor asking for a rich man's daughter's hand in marriage.

"You understand that all of this is bat-shit crazy?" Richard bluntly asked.

"Yes sir, and if I weren't living it, I'd agree a hundred percent."

Richard hummed in his throat, "I know that you love Jasper. And I'm pretty sure you wouldn't put him in danger."

"I would never intentionally put him in danger. And if he were in danger I would protect him with my life."

"If we say yes, how would this work? Never mind," Richard stopped himself, "Margaret will want to know that. Let's go back to her." Richard stood and Edward followed.

"Sir," Edward spoke before they left the room, "I would never take Jasper away from you. I would for a time while he learns to control himself, but I would never deny you a second chance with him. I meant what I said, you can spend as much time with him as you want."

Richard turned and walked away without answering. Edward hoped that wasn't a bad sign and timidly followed Richard back to Jasper's room. Margaret was sitting on the side of the bed with Jasper's hand in hers. She looked up when Richard and Edward entered the room, offering a weak smile to Edward. Richard sat next to his wife and put an arm around her shoulders and his other hand on top of hers grasping Jasper's hand. They both turned to Edward, who sat back in his seat on the other side of Jasper.

"How would you do this?" Margaret finally asked. She was on the verge of tears and her voice quivered with each word.

"I will bite him here, as soon as possible before he gets worse. Once he has progressed in the transformation enough that he looks pale and is cold, Carlisle will pronounce him dead. That part usually is the day after the bite. He'll be taken to the morgue and one of my family members will be waiting at the back exit. From there we'll take him to my home where he can complete the change. After that I have a home in Alaska where Jasper and I will stay until he is able to control himself."

"Control himself from…"

"The bloodlust. My family drinks the blood of animals instead of humans. It's one of the reasons Jasper agreed to be turned. I'll take him to Alaska where we'll be isolated and there will be no temptation to attack humans."

"And then?" Margaret asked.

"Once he's controlled we'll go wherever he wants. I assume a visit to you, of course, will be our first priority," Edward smiled encouragingly at them, hoping to make them feel better about what they were hearing. "After that, well, Jasper told me he wanted to see Europe. I have a house in Prague that I want him to see."

"We'll be able to see him?" Margaret sobbed and covered her mouth with her hand.

"I would never keep you away after he's able to control himself. You do understand why you won't be able to see him right away, though? He won't be able to control himself and if he were to do anything to you Jasper wouldn't be able to live with himself. It'll probably be about a year. But you can write. We can Skype as often as you want. Do anything you want to keep in touch. Once he's ready you can see as much as you want of each other."

"What will happen to him," Richard spoke for the first time since they had entered the room.

"The venom will rush through his body igniting the cells in his body into hyperdrive to create the optimum species. The so-called 'super-cells' will repair any previous damage caused by the chemo – and the venom itself will burn off all remaining chemo in his system—and strengthen his muscles. Carlisle and I hope that this will work on his hair cells as well.

"After the venom ignites the cells it moves on to the next process: sterilising and freezing the cells in that condition for decades. After a couple hundred years the cells sometimes begin to break down, but usually the cells maintain that form forever.

"From that point on the venom is only an active agent in the fangs, where it is a dissolvent for our food. Throughout the rest of the body it is essentially an inactive lubricant."

Margaret and Richard were quiet for a moment. The looked at the face of their son, both lost in their own thoughts. Then they shared one of those 'couple looks' that can communicate vast amounts of information without words before turning back to Edward.

"Fine," Margaret whispered so quietly that Edward wouldn't have been able to hear if he hadn't been a vampire.

Edward froze, "Are you sure. I don't want you to feel that you're being coerced into anything."

"We just want our son alive," Richard said, "If you think you can give him that, then we're willing to let you try. We still don't know what to make of your story, but I guess it doesn't matter now."

"Thank you," Edward answered earnestly, "I know this is weird, but you'll see I promise. Jasper will be fine."

"Will it hurt?" Margaret asked.

"Yes," Edward answered honestly, "It will be painful for him. But we're hoping that because of the coma it won't make a scene. He won't cry out, I hope."

"And when do you want to do this?"

"As soon as possible. Today, if you'd agree. I'd have to get Carlisle here so that he could supervise and know what's going on. I'll bite his pulse points and right above his heart to hopefully help the process along."

At Richard and Margaret's nods of approval, Edward ran out of the room to find Carlisle.

Edward found Carlisle quickly and soon they were both back in Jasper's room. Carlisle went through the process with them again to make sure that Margaret and Richard really understood what was going on. After they agreed again, Edward and Carlisle left the room to allow Richard and Margaret to say what would be their goodbyes until Jasper was ready to see them again.

"I'd prefer if we could do this somewhere with more privacy, but I'm afraid to remove Jasper from the equipment," Carlisle said.

"Well let's hope that because he is in a coma he won't be aware of the pain. With me here there won't be a reason for a nurse to do more than check his vitals," Edward said. They reentered the room and Edward sat down next to Jasper and took his hand, feeling the human warmth for the last time.

"Shall we?" Carlisle quietly asked the room. Margaret cried again but agreed, while Richard gave a gruff 'yes'. "Richard, Margaret, I want you to know that Esme, my wife, is preparing a room for you at our home. You can stay with Jasper up until right before he's going to wake but then, I'm afraid, you'll have to leave. I'm sure Edward has assured you that you will be able to keep in contact with him while they are away?"

"Yes. And thank you both for being understanding," Richard replied.

"Of course. And if you need any help preparing or financing the mock funeral, please let us know. My family will attend without Edward who will, of course, be playing the role of the reclusive, grieving lover." Carlisle smiled at Edward who rolled his eyes.

"What about the body?"

"We were hoping you would be fine with cremation. That way we can provide you with an urn and avoid all questions."

"That will be fine."

"Very well. Edward are you ready?"

Edward gave a final look at Richard and Margaret, then looked back at Carlisle before nodding in agreement. Carlisle administered a morphine dose under the hopes that it would help with the pain. Then he stepped away and only Edward remained near Jasper.

He took one final look at his human love. The sleeping face that, no matter how emaciated still looked beautiful to him. The thin body that Edward couldn't wait to touch without fear of hurting him. Edward looked at what the cancer had done to Jasper and couldn't help the flash of emotion that shot through him. There was anger for what Jasper had went through and yet a possessive pride that he would be the one to eradicate his loves body of this monster.

With that firmly in his mind, Edward leaned over Jasper's body and buried his nose in Jasper's neck. He breathed in his scent, drawing up all the memories of them together. Once he had Jasper – his Jasper, his mate – as the complete focus of his mind, Edward extended his fangs, tilted Jasper's head up to expose his neck, and bit.


Jasper was aware of pain. It burned through his veins like fire and whisky had been poured into his body. It was everywhere at once and Jasper wondered if this was the chemo finally dissolving everything in his body.

He heard voices around him, and after a time he could identify them. His mother and his father spoke around him, though he couldn't understand what they were saying. Hearing their voices made him want to stay aware just so that he could hear them for as long as he could.

And Edward was there. His voice was like a strong beacon, pulling Jasper closer to him and away from the pain that threatened to cloud his mind.

At moments he was aware of being moved and then other voices were there. But still the only definite things Jasper could focus on were his parents and Edward. Everything else blended with the pain.

He listened to their voices, clinging to them as a source of sanity and a confirmation that he was still alive.

When his parent's voices stopped Jasper was sad, but at that point he was becoming more aware of things around him. He was beginning to become more conscious, he could smell things, and while his hearing had started off sounding like he was underwater it was beginning to sharpen. These things distracted him from the loss of his parent's absence.

Besides, Edward was there the whole time. Calling to him and bringing him home.

Finally everything seemed to come to a head. There was a burst of extreme pain and then there was nothing. No breath, no heartbeat, nothing.

Jasper lay silent, wondering what had happened. His mind was racing, processing everything going on in the room. He could hear animals, people, someone fucking miles away. And he somehow knew that someone was in the room with him. Jasper breathed in a scent more glorious than anything he had ever smelled before. Without opening his eyes, Jasper knew it was Edward. Who else would have that scent? Who else would smell that heavenly but Edward?

"Jasper?"

That voice, it was so clear now. It was like he had never truly heard Edward's voice, all the nuances of his speech and the subtle Irish lilt of his words that never truly went away even after a hundred years. How had he not noticed that before?

"Jasper," that precious voice called again.

Jasper heard a movement from across the room and footsteps walking towards him. Edward crouched down beside the bed that Jasper was laying on and cupped his cheek in his hand while the other hand buried itself in the newly grown head of blond curls.

"Jasper, are you awake?"

And Jasper opened his eyes.


A/N: I think there's only one more chapter to go! Thank you all for reading and for your reviews! ~AJ Kelly