Author's note: Posting of this chapter was delayed by hurricane Irene and my complete lack of power for three days. But the power is back on now and I'm back!

Carlisle's POV:

After the incident in Port Angeles when Russell was attacked and Jasper killed the attacker with his bare hands, Esme and I were worried sick that we would get Russell taken away from us. Esme, Mrs. Howe, and I went back and forth with a judge for several days, but since the police reports clearly indicated that the incident was not our fault, the judge let us keep our daughter.

But terror over the prospects of losing our daughter to the system was nothing compared to the horror I had felt during the actual attack. At first I had been out of my mind with worry for Russell, then fear for myself, and finally shock over how it all ended and worry for Jasper. You have no idea how frightening it is to have your child endanger like that until you actually live it: it was like Edward and SARS all over again.

I cannot even describe how I felt walking into that bathroom to find Russell with the skirt of her dress up like that and being cornered by such a large man. I was certain he was planning on molesting her; why else would she have her skirt like that? And although she was clearly scared and trying to flee, she was not putting up a fight at all. I had Edward and Jasper in self-defense classes, but Russell had just gotten her cast off, so I had not had a chance to sign her up too.

I kept thinking that if we got out of this, the first thing I would do was teach my daughter to defend herself. In fact, I was clearly in need of some self-defense classes myself, so I should bring Esme as well and make it a family lesson. I had always thought that I could take care of myself, but I just felt so helpless during that attack. I was so distracted by trying to keep my children safe, that I had been totally useless in the fight. Even Edward, who had run for help, had a bigger role in saving my daughter than me.

Russell's attacker was only an inch taller than me, but he was twice as wide, and it appeared to be all muscle. Being pitted against him made me feel inadequate and puny. I had always been a man of intellect, not brawn, and I never regretted it more than that day in that bathroom in Port Angeles. I kept thinking that maybe if I worked out more, I would have been able to fight that man off and save my children myself, so I made a resolution to hit the gym at least once a week, in addition to signing the family up for self-defense classes.

I later learned that the attacker was part of the local skin-head gang in Port Angeles. His name was Joham and he had a family full of fellow skin-heads who were outraged that one of their members had been taken out by an eight year-old boy. They attempted to launch a campaign to have Jasper removed from society and placed in a mental institution for the criminally violent. But not only did Dr. Flynn clear my boy, but several other State psychiatrists also ruled that Jasper was not the least bit violent.

Esme and I were scared to death for the longest time that the skin-heads might succeed in taking our youngest son from us, but we did not want the children to worry. We tried to keep them out of it as much as possible, so we never took them with us to the lawyer meetings, court dates, or visits to the police station in Port Angeles. Charlie helped out a lot too; not only did he babysit, but he also talked to the police in Port Angeles for us. I think having him on our side really helped make the whole situation go away quicker.

Legal concerns were not our only concern regarding Jasper, because we were also worried about the ramifications that the taking of a life would have on our fragile little boy. He had already watched his mother as she was ran over in a parking lot and had been the one to discover his father's body after the suicide, and now he had taken a life. I had expected the event to be emotionally traumatizing, damaging, and for my son to be inconsolable with grief.

But instead, when I went back into that bathroom after dropping Russell off with Esme, I found Jasper standing over the body with a grin on his face. "I did it! I saved Russell! Are you proud of me Uncle Carlisle?" Jasper had asked me.

I was not sure exactly how to respond to that. Sure I was grateful to the boy for saving me and Russell, but there was no reason for this to have had to end with a death. All life had value and as a doctor, I was sworn to do no harm. So when I discerned that Joham was unconscious, I had asked Jasper to let go, thinking that I could get my children to safety before our attacker came to.

But Jasper had refused and continued to hold on. I considered physically intervening for a moment, but then I looked at my daughter still standing in the corner with her dress up, and I knew that I could not do anything more with that child still in the room. So I picked Russell up and carried her to safety before returning to the situation with Jasper and Joham in the bathroom.

I had still been holding out hope that I would find Joham to be merely unconscious when I re-entered the bathroom, so the first thing I did was check for a heartbeat. When I found none, I turned to Jasper, who was very pleased with himself, and said, "I need you to listen to me and do as I say Jasper. This is very important or you could get in big trouble with the police even though you saved me and Russell. When we walk out of here, you have to be upset that this man died. It was an accident and you did not mean for him to die, only to stop him from hurting us. You were defending us and are happy you saved us, but broken up over the fact that this horrible man died at your hands. Can you do that for me?"

"Of course Uncle, if that is what I need to do," Jasper replied calmly with the smile fading from his face. When it was replaced with an expression of remorse he continued, but with a slight sob to his voice, "I didn't know he would die! I just thought he was going to sleep and I was trying to protect my sister from the big bad man, Sir."

Jasper's one-eighty was so convincing that I almost believed it for a moment. I was a bit concerned that my eight year-old child could be so deceptive, but that concern was quickly replaced with relief and gratitude because this trait was about to come in very handy. I made a mental note to bring this issue up later, but for now I thanked my lucky stars and the Flying Spaghetti Monster, before leading my youngest son out to my wife and the rest of our family.

I watched in amazement as Jasper lied flawlessly to the police and then to Dr. Flynn. The police did not catch it, but Dr. Flynn did notice something was different. "Jasper, you did a really good job opening up to me just now! And you even talked to the police, who were complete strangers! It seems you can do it when you are under stress," Dr. Flynn complimented my boy after he lied to her face.

And as I watched Jasper lie to first the police and then his psychiatrist, I found myself believing him. I started to actually think I had imagined his initial reaction and that the boy genuinely was horrified by what he had accidently done. But that illusion was destroyed the moment Jasper and I were once again alone. "Was that alright, Uncle Carlisle?" Jasper asked me with the smile returning to his face as I put him to bed that night.

And the weird thing was that I actually found myself feeling proud of my boy; not just for saving us, but for killing that man and lying about it too. He had followed my directions perfectly, minimizing the potential repercussions and saving Esme and me from a lot of legal problems. And Russell would probably have been taken away from us if he had not lied, but at the same time I still felt horrified that I had watched him take a life.

Jasper must have noticed my internal struggle, because before I could reply, he asked, "Why do you feel that way? That man was going to hurt my new sister. And I just got used to having a sister!"

I could feel the boy's indignation as if it was physically wafting off of him and onto me. And as I stood warring with his feelings, as well as my own, I actually began to feel anger at myself for even thinking that that man's life had value too. "I'm sorry Jasper, I just had a hard day and I don't know how I feel," I said leaning down to give him a hug.

And when I hugged Jasper, I suddenly saw it all his way. We were all over-reacting over the loss of an insignificant life, while we should have been celebrating and congratulating him on a job well done. Who knows what would have happened if he had not been there to rescue Russell and me. One thing was for certain: Russell was already extremely upset and having to watch me being beaten up by Joham would only have made matters worse.

But as soon as I broke the hug, I remembered a question that had been plaguing my mind all day. "Jasper, how'd you know how to strangle that man like that?" I asked.

"Well I was going to try to snap his neck, but I wasn't strong enough," he replied, not answering the question.

"And where did you learn this? I know they don't teach you that sort of stuff in karate and I know you and Peter are never violent like that when you rough house," I persisted.

"Back in Texas," Jasper answered cryptically.

"Did your dad teach you that?" I asked. He shook his head. "Uncle Hank?" Another head shake. "Other children?" Yet another shake of the head. "The TV?"

Jasper looked me straight in the eyes. "Yes, I saw it on the TV," he answered so smoothly that I almost believed him. If I had not been watching him lie all day I probably would have believed him.

"I don't want you to lie to me, not ever. I was the one who told you how to act to get you out of trouble with the police and Dr. Flynn today. If you want me to continue to hold my tongue with the good doctor, I best not catch you lying to my face," I warned.

"Maria," Jasper answered looking away and fidgeting with his hands.

I knew Jasper was telling the truth this time, because he had resorted to his one word answers. I had begun to notice that lies were smooth and complete sentences where he looked you straight in the eyes, while the truth was choppy, nervous, and fidgeting, while staring down at his hands. No wonder his lies seemed so much more convincing than his truths.

"And how did you learn to lie like that?" I asked.

"Maria," he barely squeaked out in response and pulled his stuffed horse to his chest to cuddle.

"I thought your grandparents told you and Peter to stay away from Maria?" I asked wondering just what was really up with that woman.

"Only recently," he replied curtly.

"Well please tell me the full story with Maria then."

"Maria has a cabin," he began but stalled. I watched him very closely the entire time for signs that he was lying to me again, but although he spoke in full sentences now, he never made eye contact and continued to stop and fidget. He was full of nerves, so I was fairly certain I was getting the truth as he continued, "off of the road… on the other side of the river… in back of my parents' house… Peter and I… we used to go out back and play… but she would call us over… from across the river."

I nodded, silently urging him to continue.

"From as long as I can remember… Maria liked me… she'd tell me… that as soon as I grew up… she was gonna come for me. S-s-she… she said I had something special… and I would be her second in command… She told me stories of vampire wars… She was gone most of the time... but when she'd come back… she'd have new s-s-soldiers with her… and new tales of battle.

"Maria s-s-said that she'd been w-w-watching my family for Peter… she saw him… and she wanted him… for her army… but then she saw me… and she knew… that I'd be hers… The night my dad died… Maria knew. She came bursting into our house… through my window… she opened it… and she climbed through like a ghost… but I saw her… she flashed passed me… and I followed.

"I found her… in my dad's room… leaning over him… trying to revive him… She just kept saying… how she needed him… he had to be alive… for her plan… She kept muttering… to herself… that she couldn't… raise two human boys herself… She leaned down… over him… and she bit him… and she did chest compressions… but he was already dead… there was nothing she could do.

"Finally… after a really long time…she gave up… she told me… that I'd have to… call nine-one-one… and report the death… She leaned me over him… and she made me… preform… t-t-the chest… compressions… until my h-h-hands… were smeared with b-b-blood. Then she instructed me… through the phone call… and she waited… with me… until the cops came… She said… that I would… have to go… live with… my grandparents… down the street… but she told me… not to worry… because… she'd still… come back… for me… and she'd… find me later… She said… we'd still… be together.

"But… my grandparents… didn't want me… and they ruined… her plan. She came… and found me… at Hank's ranch… and she told me… to go… with my aunt. But… she said… she'd still… find me… when I… grow up… She said… I'd still… be part of her army… and I'd be… her second in command," Jasper finished, with a sob.

I was not sure what to make of this story. Jasper clearly believed it, but I was fairly certain that Maria had been lying to him about the wars and the army and I certainly did not believe in vampires. She probably knew how much he liked war stories and told him all of that to lure him in. But what she really wanted with him, I could not be certain. My original fear that she was a child molester popped back into my head, so I questioned Jasper quite thoroughly on this subject and got nowhere: she had never touched him inappropriately. She had smelled him and grabbed his arms and chest, but that was it.

Maria was a bit of a conundrum, but then it occurred to me that she might be a cult leader. She must have wanted Jasper and Peter for her cult and told these strange stories to lure the boys in. She was probably waiting until they were teenagers and was upset that their parents had died prematurely because their deaths interfered with her plan. Either that or she was waiting until they were older to molest them.

But none of this explained how Jasper knew to kill a man with his bare hands, so I asked again, "Jasper, how does all of this with Maria relate to what happened today? How did you know how to kill that man?"

Jasper just shrugged and answered, "Maria taught us," while looking down at his stuffed horse.

"Maria taught you and Peter? Where, when, and how?" I pressed for details.

"In her cabin… The grown-ups… they think… that that is her house… where she lives… but… really it's empty inside… and… she uses it… mostly to hide in… during the day… while she watched… Peter and me."

"Why would she need to hide during the day?" I asked confused.

"Because her skin… sparkles like crystals… in the sun… She only lets… the adults see her… at night… or… when it's cloudy," he answered.

"Did you see her sparkling?" I asked wondering if I had somehow missed something. Was Jasper pulling the wool over my eyes?

"Yes, but… only once. She was all covered up… from head to toe… like a Muslim… She reached out… her gloved hand for mine… and a bit… of her wrist… slipped through… and… it casted rainbow sparkles… into my eyes… and blinded me."

This sounded more like the mistake of a young child than that a woman's skin had really been so iridescent. She probably had on an expensive diamond bracelet that had blinded him. So I brushed the peculiarity away and asked Jasper to continue with his story.

"Sometimes… Maria'd bring… regular men with her… and she'd beat them up… in front of us. Other times… she'd bring soldiers… like her. She taught us… to wrestle… and to fight… and showed us… how to kill… She said that… she'd teach us… to be lethal… when we were older… but… for now… she just wanted… us to be able to… defend ourselves… she needed us… and she didn't want us… getting hurt… while she was away.

"She showed us… lots of moves… including several ways… to kill an attacker… She said that… if someone was hurting us… never stop defending ourselves… and to never… ever turn our backs… until they were dead… She said… turning your back… on the enemy… was a rookie mistake… and she'd be livid… if she ever heard… of either of us… doing that... She can be frightening… when she wants to be… so I believed her. She let us practice… on strange men… that she would bring us… but that was… a long time ago... and she only came… about once a month… so the rest of the time… we were left to… practice by ourselves… I couldn't practice… death grips… on Peter… so I'm not… as good at those," Jasper admitted.

"What about the lying?" I asked.

"Peter was a horrible liar... He still is... Maria spent a lot of time… with us… teaching us… how to lie… so that Peter… wouldn't give away… what we had been up to… when we went back home."

Jasper's story seemed highly implausible, but I did not think that he was lying to me now, and I knew something was going on, so I decided that this must be what he really thought had happened. How much of it was the truth and how much Maria had made up, I could not be certain, but her teaching him to lie, wrestle, and kill would explain his strange behavior today. Where else would he have learned all of that? But there was just one thing that did not make sense to me.

"Jasper, why did your grandparents send you away when you said Maria wanted you to stay with them?" I asked. I knew Esme's side of the story, but her version of events differed so drastically from Jasper's that I had to ask.

"I was really upset… after my dad died… Maria left… out the window… just as the cops… showed up… leaving me all alone... I tried to… tell Peter… what had happened… but he told me… to keep quiet… and he didn't understand… With no one to turn to… my emotions… started seeping out," he explained like this made perfect sense to him.

"Your emotions seeped out?" I asked, unsure what he was talking about.

"My emotions leak," he said reaching out his hand to touch me.

When Jasper's skin made contact with my own, I felt happiness and joy flow through me. But as quickly as it came, it was replaced by fear and sadness. "Are you doing that?" I asked as the emotions changed again and I felt both grief and contentment.

"Yes," he answered simply.

"How?" I asked in disbelief.

"Like Maria said… I'm special," he explained with a shrug.

"Is this why you don't like to talk in therapy?" I asked.

"Yes… She keeps asking me… how I feel… and it's so frustrating to me not to just show her how I feel. But… Maria said that I have to keep it a secret… And Dr. Flynn always wants me to talk about what happened… but Maria said… that I need to keep that a secret too," he explained.

"Well I will keep your secret. We don't need to tell Esme: it will just upset her," I said knowing that this was the truth. This story made no sense and there was nothing I could do about it, no matter how much I believed my son. The best thing for it was to leave it alone and see how it played out. If Maria came back, then we would run, as a family. But until then, what could we do?

Author's note: Jasper finally told Carlisle what is really going on, but he does not believe him. So what do you think? Please review!