Disclaimer: I own not the glory of Twilight.
AN - I'm very aware that if I didn't update for a while then I would certainly obtain more reviews, but I've been in a funny mood this weekend, which has inspired me to write. Lucky lot you are! I won't be updating like I have been in the last few days during the week, so this is making up for it :) Enjoy!
"And we're here, because?" Rosalie sneered sarcastically.
Emmett sighed overdramatically. Just like he did everything else. "Baby, we're having a movie marathon! You get that, right?"
"Of course I get that," Rosalie murmured, her tone softer while speaking to her love. "I'm just wondering why the hell we're sitting here watching movies when we really should be preparing for the Volturi's visit tomorrow!"
"Because Bella can't remember seeing any films, silly!" Emmett answered.
"The Volturi are coming late at night, anyway, Rose," Alice offered. "We've got plenty of time to be a...normal family for at least one day."
"Yeah," Emmett piped in again, "'cause Bella can't remember seeing any movies!"
I shook my head. "I didn't ask to watch any movies. I agree with Rosalie."
"Well you're outnumbered!" Esme laughed gently, walking into the lounge with a bowlful of popcorn.
An awkward silence passed through the room as we eyed the popcorn, and I felt the need to break it.
"Esme," I proceeded cautiously. "Why did you make popcorn?"
Carlisle, sitting with his arm around her, coughed lightly. "It seems fitting." He seemed reluctant to go on, so I raised my eyebrows. "And we wanted to see if you'd eat it."
I eyed the large bowl carefully. It did smell appetizing. I sighed lengthily, as the family watched me with barely contained curiosity. "Give it here."
"Yay!" Alice exclaimed, in an unnaturally bouncy mood. "Let's watch movies!"
Alice popped the disc into the machine before gliding back to her position next to Jasper on the couch he, Edward and I occupied.
"What are we watching?" Jasper asked, speaking up for the first time.
"No idea!" Alice exclaimed happily. "I just picked up the closest disc!"
"I bet we'll end up watching a terrible horror movie about vampires!" Carlisle laughed. "Are you at least going to try the popcorn, Bella?" He asked somberly.
"Well," I sighed, "I guess I am." I popped a handful into my mouth. It tasted buttery and salty on my tongue for a second before venom coated each piece.
"Ew!" I proclaimed around a mouthful, hopping up from my seat on Edward's lap to spit it out in the kitchen.
I left the bowl there, and walked back into the lounge to expectant eyes. "Don't ever make me eat food again, Dad!"
All but Edward and Carlisle laughed, and I went back to the couch, sitting in between Jasper and my husband.
We'd somehow gotten closer in the few hours that had passed. I felt like I belonged here, seated next to my husband and brother. Curiously, I felt more at home with Jasper and Edward more than any of the other Cullens.
I understood my connection with Edward, but Jasper? Had I not heard in his thoughts that he'd tried to kill me!? He must have been joking. I was sure he was joking.
Wasn't he?
He seemed plenty content now, as we sat companionably next to eachother. Our other halves seemed to tense as we took this position every time we reached the lounging area of the downstairs level in the Cullen home, for a reason I couldn't comprehend.
But Jasper had become my favorite brother. Somehow, without me saying anything, or him saying anything, we'd formed a bond that was stronger than mine and Alice's – despite her claiming we'd been best friends.
I turned my attention back to the movie as the opening credits began.
"Oh, fuck." I heard Edward's low oath and I turned to him confusedly. "Alice, maybe we should watch something else?"
"Yes!" Alice said, darting up to the machine.
"Woah, woah, why can't we watch it?" I asked, turning to Jasper. "What's happening?"
"You don't want to watch this movie, Bella." He whispered, low and throaty.
"Why not?" I asked, turning my head from side to side, looking for an explanation. "I want to watch it!"
"No, Bella!" Edward smiled, kissing me softly. "You never liked this movie, it upset you. We should watch something else."
"Well, human Bella didn't like it, but I might!" I protested. "I want to watch it."
"No, Bella, you don't." Jasper growled.
"Yes, Jasper, I do!" I retorted. "What's gotten into all of you?"
Esme, Rose, Emmett and Carlisle were staring fixedly at their hands, Edward was alert at my side, Alice was sitting by the TV and Jasper was like a statue; his jaw clenched and eyes black.
"What aren't you telling me?!" I asked exasperatedly.
"Nothing, Bella." Jasper sighed. "We can watch it."
The silence that followed was nothing but awkward, but I ignored it. I was engrossed in the movie.
"What's this song called?" I asked.
"Love lifts us up where we belong. Where eagles fly on a mountain high."
"Love makes us act like we are fools, throw our lives away for one happy day!"
"We could be heroes. Just for one day."
"Elephant Love Medley." Jasper answered, staring at me intensely.
I delved into his mind. Jasper was on a couch identical to this with a young girl with brown hair, and brown eyes. She looked strangely fragile as she sang with him, but he regarded her with so much love.
The memory seemed too intimate and I withdrew from his mind, feeling like an intruder.
I eyed Alice warily. The girl in his memory had not been her. I understood! Jasper didn't like this movie, not me. Something had happened to this girl and watching this movie reminded Jasper of her.
"I don't want to watch the movie anymore," I announced, getting up and ejecting it straight in the middle of a scene.
"Why?" Edward asked, confused.
"It's upsetting Jasper." I said, giving Jasper a sympathetic smile.
He took a deep breath and excused himself, walking into the kitchen.
"I better go after him," I whispered, starting after him.
"Bella," Edward started, calling me back, but I ignored him.
Jasper was sitting in the garden, his emotions flickering from despair, to love, to anger.
I sat down next to him silently. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be," he whispered. "You don't remember."
"Who was she?" I asked tentatively, putting my hand in his.
"Who was who?" He asked, looking down at our intertwined hands.
"The girl you were thinking about when we were watching the movie?"
"You don't know her," he whispered brokenly.
"Tell me about her?" I asked cautiously.
He seemed to deliberate for a moment before standing up and taking me with him, loping to the surrounding forest. I hadn't been further than the garden before now.
"Are you sure you want to know about her, Bella?" He whispered, as we sat down against a broken tree.
"Well, I'd like to hear about her," I began, "but if you'd rather not tell me then I'll understand."
"No, I want to tell you about her," he smiled, clenching my hand tighter.
"She was...amazing. I was never close to her, really, even though she seemed to always be around our house. It was too dangerous to get close to her." He said sadly, and I clasped his hand tighter in comfort.
"She was perfect. I couldn't have her, obviously. She was human, and taken. I hadn't even entertained the notion of going more than a foot toward her until my family stupidly left me alone with her for a few days. Of course, I could feel her emotions. She was intoxicated with alcohol Emmett had left and lust was radiating off her.
"I felt the same way towards her. We bonded over Moulin Rouge," he laughed quietly.
The words seemed familiar to me, but I couldn't remember where from.
"After a long weekend, we tried to go back to normal. It was impossible. She was so worried everyone would find out, as was I. Neither of us were single." He admitted quietly.
"You were with Alice," I acknowledged.
"Yes. And it was so stupid of me, but I fell in love with the girl. It was ten times more powerful than anything I'd ever felt. I loved her more than anything in the entire world. Then Carlisle told us that our love wasn't real and I'd been manipulating her."
"No!" I cried. "You wouldn't do that!"
"I know, and it upset her that everyone thought that. She had to leave with her husband to go somewhere, and before she went I said goodbye. It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do."
"Oh, Jasper." I whispered, looking at him sympathetically.
"She cried a lot. I knew she felt the same way, when we said goodbye. But she was so sure she'd be coming back. I didn't have the heart to tell her."
"I'm so sorry, Jasper," I cried, hugging him tightly. I could feel him breathing in my scent as he buried his head in my hair.
"What happened to her, Jasper?" I asked quietly.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"You said you had to say goodbye, why didn't she come back?"
"She came back." He answered somberly. "But she wasn't the same anymore."
"Why?" I breathed. "What happened to her when she left, Jasper?"
"She died." He whispered.
"I'm so sorry, Jasper." I whispered.
"Don't worry about it."
"Well, honestly," I murmured, "if it's any consolation, when I saw her in that memory, I could tell she really loved you."
"I'm sorry Bella, but it isn't."
I wasn't going to stop here, but I thought I'd leave it here for now. Back to watching Nightmare before Christmas! Review, please? I'd like to get at least one review more than I got for Luxuria by the time I've finished this story :)