With a quiet groan, the southerner blinked away the haze of unconsciousness to find himself lying on his stomach across his bed — his hands encased in ice retaining bandages.

He was stiff and sore all over, but mostly he was horribly thirsty. Swallowing hard against the burning ache in his throat brought little relief. To his surprise, the normally ever present venom appeared to have dried up and no longer bathed his mouth and throat. He could not recall being this racked with thirst since his newborn days. It appeared that his body was suddenly entirely devoid of fluids. With every passing moment his discomfort increased until his slender frame shook with a rasping cough. There was little doubt in Jasper's mind that he could gorge on every wolf in Alaska and still require more blood to soothe his parched throat.

Rolling onto his side, the soldier hissed loudly through clenched teeth as his throbbing hip grazed the mattress. Silently he cursed himself for having momentarily forgotten about the rest of his unfortunate predicament, then groaned while shifting to a more comfortable position.

At the sound of the youth's pain, the patriarch materialized in the doorway with a worried look darkening his features.

"Are you alright, son?" As soon as the words crossed his lips, Carlisle shut his eyes and grimaced. When he finally looked back at his boy, understanding, sadness, and regret showed clearly on his face. "No, of course you're not," he softly answered himself.

"I've been better, Papa, but I'll live," Jasper assured him in a hoarse voice. "Takes more than a whoopin' to put me down for good. Don't you worry none."

Despite the pain in his hindquarters, the Major attempted to sit up until a gentle touch to his shoulder stopped him.

"Don't," Carlisle said in a whisper. "Just lie down and rest. Your recovery will be easier and quicker if you can find a way to relax. It doesn't do for you to aggravate your injuries further."

Jasper could tell by his elder's tone that he was being addressed by neither his coven leader nor his father. He had just been given the cool professional directive of Forks' top physician, and that was not to be ignored.

Sighing, the soldier eased onto his side and propped himself up on his elbow as he glanced down at his wrapped hands.

"How long have I been out?"

"Only a few minutes," Carlisle responded while tucking a pillow against his son's back for support. "Less than five I would say."

"You work fast," he quipped with a weary grin and a nod towards the bandages.

"How do they feel?"

"Sore, but mostly numb now."

"It's good to know that the ice is working. I really wasn't sure that it would be of any use, but had to try."

Jasper felt his father's anxiety lessen a touch, though it was plain to see that the man was still painfully worried.

"Don't beat yourself up, Papa. I'm sure it looks much worse than it is."

Carlisle shook his head and sighed inwardly.

"Your injuries are just as bad as they appear, Jasper. You have a great deal of bruising to both soft tissue and bone. Thankfully nothing was broken, but you're healing more slowly than I would have imagined."

"Guess I can go gorge myself after all." He gave the patriarch a quick wink and a sly smirk, but the doctor's mood did not lighten.

"Your body has sustained too much damage," the doctor continued. "The venom isn't able to concentrate in a single area as it normally tends to do. Spread as thin as it is, it can't work as efficiently, and I am clueless as to how to assist the process." Shifting his focus from the boy's hands to gaze into his eyes, Carlisle shook his head again. "This was not what I intended, Jasper. You have to believe me. I would have never..."

"Carlisle, stop," Jasper croaked as clearly and forcibly as he could. Reaching a bandaged hand out, he touched his father's wrist. "You don't need to explain yourself to me. I was the one in the wrong; not you. You did what you had to do."

"No..."

"Yes." The soldier tried again in vain to moisten his throat before fighting through the pain to speak. "You know what would have happened to me if I was in any other coven. I would not be here. I would have either had to run for my life, or I would be dead. I've seen it, Carlisle, and you know it's true. This..." He eased his hand away from the older vampire and turned it over. "This is nothing. I've suffered far worse for more benign crimes."

"That doesn't make it right. We're not a coven. You're my family — my son. You should always feel safe here. Family protects family. I shouldn't have harmed you. That's not punishment; it's abuse."

"I always feel safe with you. Hell, Carlisle, I even know that I'm safe with Ele and Carmen. I've never been abused under your rule. I needed absolution for what I did; I needed to be able to be forgiven. You've provided that. I had to pay for my sin, and now I have.

Papa, no wrong has been done to me. I'll be fine in two shakes," the youth stated before a harsh cough racked his frame. "Maybe three shakes. A gallon or two of fresh buck would make a world of difference. I'm really parched."

"I know, son," the patriarch replied while brushing a lock of golden hair off of his boy's face to reveal coal black eyes. "I have some blood warming on the stove. We seem to have put a serious dent in our hosts' reserves."

"It's a crying shame that those Cullen boys can't keep themselves out of trouble long enough to take care of their own hunting needs," Jasper choked out while a mischievous grin formed on his lips.

Carlisle glanced down with a shake of his head as he smiled at his son's comment. It made him feel a bit better to find Jasper's spirit still very much intact. The soldier's resilience never failed to surprise him, but what else should he expect from someone who had lived as long and survived as much?

"It might be a nice gesture if those two could get their acts together long enough to replenish the stocks. I imagine that would please Eleazar and Carmen greatly."

"A little team work can accomplish that before they even know they had a shortage going on."

"Agreed, but first things first." Reflexively, Carlisle pulled a blanket over his son and tucked it gently around the youth. It was a human gesture that offered no physical benefit to the vampire, but the emotional comfort was undeniable. Closing his eyes, Jasper snuggled in with a soft sigh.

"Try to rest, Jazz. Let your mind go blank so your body can completely relax. Doctor's orders." The doctor leaned over and kissed the crown of his boy's head before heading towards the door. "I'll be right back with your drink."

"Papa?"

Reaching for the light switch, Carlisle glanced back at the Major.

"Thank you for caring enough to ... Well, thanks for all you've done for me."

The patriarch's throat tightened as tears came to his eyes. With a brief nod, Carlisle flicked off the light and exited the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

In the time it took the elder to return, Jasper had rolled onto his stomach and burrowed nearly completely under the covers, hugging his pillow to his chest. Even though Carlisle knew his soldier was still very uncomfortable, he was pleased to find him resting peacefully. The soft, even cadence of the youth's breathing caused a moment of hesitation in the doctor. Placing the steaming mug on the night stand, the elder considered his son's condition further. As much as he knew Jasper needed blood, maybe he needed the mental and physical downtime more.

Chasing away that thought with the knowledge that the boy's ability to rest would be deeper and more recuperative once his thirst was sated, the patriarch carefully sat on the edge of the bed. Mindful not to jar the lad, he drew back the blanket and whispered Jasper's name while touching his son's shoulder gently.

Violently jerking himself back to consciousness, the Major flipped himself up right and sat straight up with a warning growl before the searing pain in his posterior brought his senses back in focus. Gritting his teeth, he meet the concerned eyes of his father.

"I didn't mean to startle you."

Lowering his eyes, Jasper shook his head as he shifted his weight to one hip as inconspicuously as possible.

"I shouldn't have been under that deeply. It's never happened before. Not even when Alice and I tried trancing back in the sixties. My mind simply can't get that quiet, Papa. I don't know where it came from, but I do know that I didn't realize it was you. I'm powerfully sorry to have snapped like that."

Carlisle gently caught the soldier's chin and lifted his head.

"Your body knows what it needs. You have to give in so it can heal, and there is no cause for apologizes."

"Still..."

"No. The desire to defend yourself is understandable after what you've suffered."

The doctor placed an arm behind the southerner to help support him, before reclaiming the mug of warm caribou blood.

"Now, let's see if we can start you more firmly on the road to recovery."

Balancing the cup carefully on his knee, Carlisle slid a straw out of his shirt pocket and plunked it into the rich dark liquid. Much to his surprise, the moment he touched the straw to the Major's pale lips, the boy pulled away.

"I'm not an infant, Carlisle," the youth grumbled indignantly. "I can feed myself."

"Not at the moment, you can't," the man responded while sparing a glance at the soldier's damaged hands.

"I can so," Jasper snarled as he attempted to trap the mug between his hands.

"Jasper Monroe Cullen!"

The soldier's head snapped up and his breath caught in his chest as he met his leader's hard glare.

"You are in no condition to hold anything. Stop being so damn bull-headed and accept some assistance. Show a little of the gentlemanly grace that I know you were born with, and drink," the doctor ordered while tapping the straw against the youth's full bottom lip.

The southerner stared at the man through large dark eyes before releasing a held breath.

"Yes, sir," he muttered angrily, then caught the plastic annoyance between his teeth and took a hard pull, painting his mouth with the warm liquid.

The moment the first drop of salty, coppery richness touched his tongue, all thoughts of hurt pride vanished. Within seconds the heavy stoneware mug was drained, and Jasper turned a pleading look to his father.

Carlisle smiled as he slipped his arm from behind the boy before placing the empty cup back on the small marble topped table and rose to his feet.

"I'll get you a refill, but I'll see you comfortable first."

With gentle persuasion, he helped eased Jasper down in the bed on his side and pulled the blanket over him. Brushing the unruly honey colored mane back, the patriarch was happily surprised to find the boy's eyes beginning to lighten.

"You're looking better already, Jazz."

"I feel better," the Major reluctantly admitted.

"Time, rest, and good nourishment will heal most wounds in humans and vampires alike."

"So the doctor claims."

Gathering the mug, Carlisle allowed the smile to slip from his face as he calmly spoke.

"Jasper, you are my son and always will be, but I don't want you to think that I have ever viewed you as a helpless child. That is the furthest thing from the truth."

"I just don't like being fussed over," the youth replied softly while picking at the edge of the blanket with stiff fingers. Shifting his gaze to his father, Jasper released a breath in a low sigh. "And it's feels really wrong to have my superior being the one doing the fussing. I know you'll deny it, but it does look like a weakness and I hate that. I hate feeling like dead weight. I should always be the one taking care of my family, not the other way around. I'm a warrior. I always have been. If I don't have that, if I can't fill that role, what use am I?"

The darkness had returned to Jasper's eyes and powerful emotions radiated from him to weigh down Carlisle's tender heart.

"You are a warrior, Jasper. No one can take that from you, but even the most hardened soldier has to lean on someone from time to time. I can't make you believe it, but I'm being truthful when I say that there's no shame in taking a step back once in a while. Doing so does not diminish your rank in anyway. If anything it amplifies it, because it proves that you have the wisdom to do what you need to do to keep yourself strong and able."

The elder started to reach out to his boy, but curled his fingers back into a loose fist fearing that, at this time, his touch would be mistaken for pity. Instead, he stood up straighter and drew a deep breath.

"Jasper, I have every confidence in you as the protector of this family. I would not have offered you the role of being my second were there the slightest question in your abilities." Carlisle's eyes narrowed momentarily in thought. "Though you never gave me a solid answer to that request. It is still on the table though. I honestly wish you would accept the position. It would ease my mind greatly to know that my family will always be well cared for."

"But Edward..."

Carlisle shook his head.

"Edward is very capable, but his temper and passion tends to be his undoing. They make him a bit rash at times."

Jasper bowed his head as he absentmindedly continued to worry the binding of the blanket.

This time the elder did reach out. Cupping the youth's chin in his palm he stared into the Major's eyes.

"Edward trusts and respects you. He will follow your lead should the need arise, as will the others. The only question that remains is are you willing to shoulder the responsibility. I know you're more than capable, but I also know that I'm asking a great deal from you and will understand if you decline."

Jasper closed his eyes and inhaled deeply only to open them again to the sound of his name.

"Before you make your decision, I want you to understand that accepting will put you on the front line permanently. I will accept nothing less than your very best at all times. You will have to endure my guidance as well as my occasional 'fussing' over you. Above all else, you must see to your needs and the needs of Alice. If you're worried about Alice's safety, you can't focus on anything else. If you are not fit and strong, mentally and physically, you can't lead effectively."

Carlisle released Jasper's chin and brushed the hair out of the boy's eyes.

"Now that you have full disclosure of these conditions, I would have your answer, Major Whitlock."

After several seconds of stillness from the solider, the elder encouraged a response. "Well, Jasper? A simple yes or no will do."

The closed expression on the boy's face was entirely unreadable, giving Carlisle no clue to the thoughts flowing through his mind. The patriarch was beginning to wonder if he had pushed too hard, too soon when the Texan finally broke his silence.

"I can be just as passionate and single minded as Edward. The incident at the hospital and beyond is proof enough of that."

"An isolated instance that you've learned from. We all make mistakes, but you are not one to repeat yours."

Jasper glanced at his hands with a humorless snort.

"For the most part," his father relented. "That's why I require you to abide by my guidance and corrections. Together we can learn how best to minimize your faults."

Jasper nodded then rubbed his knuckles against his temple as he gazed at the mattress, seemingly lost in thought.

"I won't fight Edward. If the time comes and he wants to take the lead, he's welcomed to it." Glancing up at his leader, he continued with unwavering conviction. "I would win, but Edward would be injured. I won't hurt him to retain this position. The same goes for Emmett. I'll stand beside them and fight to the death for my family, but I refuse to fight for the right to lead them. I've had enough of that for several lifetimes, Carlisle. I won't go back to that way of life, and before you say it, I won't be wrestling Rosalie for power either."

Briefly, the patriarch smiled.

"I would never ask that of you or your siblings. Families shouldn't have internal battles for dominance, and I expect you to continue to function as a family instead of a coven, even after I'm gone."

"And what about Momma? Surely she would expect Edward to fill your shoes. He carries your venom after all; not me. That's as close to a 'birth right' as we come by."

"Esme and I have discussed this several times in the past. She agrees with me, and sees you as the most realistic choice. Naturally, she won't exactly fall under your rule, but she has faith in your abilities to make sound decisions and will offer you her complete support."

Jasper sank into his pillow and blew a breath out in an explosive huff.

"Then I guess there's no reason not to accept as long as Esme..." The boy's body went rigid, his brows shot up, and his eyes flashed. "Oh my God. Esme. She must be half sick with worry by now."

"I'll call her back for you, but you better prepare yourself to be fussed over severely."

Carlisle fished in his pocket for his phone, but the Major grabbed at the doctor's wrist to halt the search and earned himself a questioning look.

"No, you can't do that." The southerner dropped his hand and glanced at it as he shook his head. "She can't see me like this. She'll be livid. Momma won't understand, and she'll think the worst."

Carlisle stared down into the bloodstained mug without really seeing it.

"She'll see the truth and act accordingly." With a resigned heartfelt sigh, he looked at his son. "She will rightfully be angry with me, but eventually she'll forgive me. Her heart won't accept any other recourse."

"Papa."

"Not another word on this matter, young man. You and I have both found closure; I won't deny your mother the same. I trusted in your strength to endure the consequences of your misbehavior. Now I must demand the same of myself."

Concern was plastered across the Major's face, but he held his tongue.

"We lead best by example, Jasper. You already know this. Facing your mother will initially be very unpleasant for me, but I will not hide what I've done. She's your mother. She deserves to know what transpired. I would never lie to her, directly or by omission, and you would be wise to follow the same path."

"Papa, you didn't do anything wrong. She'll come down on you because she will assume the worse. It will all be a misunderstanding and you will suffer needlessly."

Ignoring the youth's statement, Carlisle cleared his throat and promptly changed the subject.

"Lie back and be still, Jasper. Quiet down so that blood can circulate in your system while I go warm some more. We'll have you back on your feet and in fighting shape in no time."

Realizing that he wasn't going to get any further with his argument, Jasper curled up and closed his eyes. With Carlisle's soft footfalls echoing as he headed towards the door, the southerner drawled quietly to himself, "And to think he calls me bullheaded."

Closing the door soundlessly, the elder stopped and pressed his back against the frame. Maybe Jasper was right. Maybe there was no need for Esme to learn of the extent of their son's injuries. A few more cups of blood and the worst should be healed. Perhaps, in the end, a whitewashed truth would actually be a kindness. The full truth would only cause Esme to worry about Jasper more.

Carlisle's stomach churned as if he was becoming physically ill. His conscience enflamed the guilt that tightened its vise like grip around his heart and sent a shiver through his body. Thoroughly disgusted with himself, the patriarch pushed off the wall and stalked towards the kitchen.

Never, in all these years, had he lied to his mate, and he wasn't about to start. He had nothing to be ashamed of. He had done what needed to be done to give Jasper peace of mind, even as it cost him his own. Faced with the same situation again, he knew he would make the same decision and see it through. It had been the right thing to do, even if the resulting damage to the lad was inexcusable.

Finding that the blood remaining in the pot had coagulated, Carlisle dumped it down the sink and rinsed it away before starting a fresh batch.

Going to the refrigerator to retrieve the glass jug of scarlet liquid, his mind continued to trouble him. Truthfully, he was worried about Esme's reaction as well as what Alice would think. His pixie would already know what had transpired. Did she already hate him and think him cruel?

"Sadist," a voice hissed, nearly causing Carlisle to drop the bottled blood.

Quickly the elder scanned the room, only to determine that he was still alone.

Turning back to his self appointed task, the doctor rapidly became lost in thought before the dreaded voice came again.

"You took pleasure in that boy's suffering."

"I did no such thing," he answered out loud, shocked by his defensive tone.

"You can't lie to me, boy. You never could, and there is no point in lying to yourself."

"I'm no liar."

"But you are, Carlisle. You are planning to lie to your wife."

"I will never lie to Esme. Never."

A cruel peal of laughter filled his head.

"Leave me alone. There is no place here for you or your rhetoric."

"Didn't a part of you thrill for the chance to show off your power? The pleasure it gave you as it coursed through your veins knows no bounds. That boy is tough. He's stronger than you, faster than you, better than you in every way, and yet you brought him to his knees. You felt the rush of power. You can't deny that. It's like a drug. It leaves you wanting more."

"That's not true. It's not like that at all. That's not who I am or what I want."

"That is exactly who you are. It's the taint of what you've become. It's alive and well, curled up in your very soul, rotting it from the inside out, just waiting to be unleashed again. Why fight it? Embrace it, or are you just too much of a coward to accept that you've fallen so far from grace that there will never be any redemption for you? Too weak to own up to what you are? It's who you were meant to be. Who you were born to be. Like father, like son."

"GOD DAMN YOU TO HELL! LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Carlisle's grip suddenly tightened, crushing the glass to dust, and dousing himself and the kitchen with blood.

"Carlisle? Papa? Are you okay? Who are you talking to?"

The shaken doctor looked up to see his son standing in the doorway.

"I'll go fetch the mop and help you clean up."

"No. Jasper, wait. I'm fine, and I've got this under control. It was just a little accident. Go back to your room. You're supposed to be in bed."

"I heard you talking to someone, and thought that maybe Momma had come home. Then I heard you yell and knew that wasn't the case."

The soldier was at his father's side in a flash, crouching down to scoop the large pieces of glass up in his palms.

"Leave it, son. I'll get it. You're getting blood all over yourself. That's a sure way to cause your mother to panic. She won't know what to think if she sees you like this."

"You'll just have to change my bandages out. No big deal," the youth quipped as he glanced up at his father and motioned for the trash can.

Grabbing the plastic bin, Carlisle turned towards the boy and froze. Taking a good look at Jasper under the bright kitchen lights, the elder smiled as a breath filled his lungs.

"Let me do that, Jazz. Go back to bed, but stop by the bathroom on your way."

"I can't rinse the blood out of these bandages. That's not going to do any good, and if you think I'm washing your mouth out for what I heard a couple of minutes ago, you've got another thing coming, Papa. I'm honored to be your second, but there are somethings that I sure as hell ain't gonna be doin'."

Carlisle groaned in mild frustration, then yanked open a draw and began to rummage through it to the clanking of flatware.

"This will have to do," he uttered, as he brandished a large shimmering stainless steel serving spoon.

"No way," the Major balked while raising his hands and backing away. "I am not gonna hit ya with that thing. You can just get that thought out of your head, because I don't give a damn. I won't do it."

With a roll of his eyes, Carlisle caught Jasper's shoulder and turned him around before pulling the boy into a firm embrace, his back pressed hard against the elder's chest. Holding the spoon up horizontal, the patriarch angled it until their reflections showed on the shiny metal.

"What had gotten into...? Wait. What? Holy hell, how did that...? I don't understand."

"Now there can be no question that you were severely punished this evening. The ordeal nearly depleted your energy stores completely. I'm sure what you received from Eleazar the other day started that ball rolling since you haven't been feeding very well since. Add to that the stress you felt facing everyone when they arrived, and it's not surprising that your body was already under a serious strain, but that tawse did it. It took everything you physically had in you to bear the kiss of that strap. There's hardly anything left. That's why you're so thirsty."

Jasper caught the spoon in his right hand and pulled it close to his face. The movement caused the boy's fingers to throb, but he showed no signs of discomfort as he gazed with fascination at his own dark tawny gold eyes and smiled brightly.

AN: Very long overdue. Sorry about that, guys. I've rewritten this so many times. The various characters keep trying to take the story over and run it in different directions. I does look like everyone will be demanding one last say before Dark Justice is through. Esme and Eleazar both tried to get their two cents in, but Jasper had different plans so they have to wait until the next chapter.

Thanks so much for hanging in there with me, and a huge thanks to Splinter for her hard betaing work along with the wondrous Jasper1863Hale, who always has my back. Everyone of y'all make this worthwhile.