Chapter 37

Jacqueline walked coolly from the lake, wringing out her hair as she did before tossing it back into a ponytail. She glanced over as everyone emerged and crouched defensively from the nature of their demeanor.

"The lake," Jasper said calmly, yet a strong hint of urgency lingered in the tone of his voice.

"Carlisle!" Emmett called out.

"The water, Emmett," Jasper said, "Go in the water."

Emmett shattered the ice with his fist, sending a series of more cracks throughout the pond. William, Micah and Helen followed him in and beneath the surface as Jasper approached to where Helen was already accompanied protectively by Christopher.

"Where's Carlisle?"

"It seems like you've figured it out," Jacqueline hissed.

"Stop using your gift," he demanded.

"It's too late," she told him, "The damage is done. If he lives, he won't recover to an immortal state until his the recovery to full health is complete. If he dies in the state he's in, he dies. Venom won't save him."

Jasper glared at for a moment before she continued with her taunting, yet true words, "You better join your friends before it's too late."

As much as he had the urge to charge at the woman, he knew that helping to save Carlisle was more important and he quickly made his way into the water.

"Jas!" Emmett called before he could go under, "Jasper!"

He looked up and William and Helen pulling Carlisle from the freezing pond. Jasper quickly made his way out and around to the shore where he laid. A light snowfall that had begun only minutes before began to pick up rapidly, and winds swirled it about, making the air even colder from the chill.

Carlisle laid motionless on the ground and no one looked like they knew what to do.

"CPR," Jasper said, "He's human, he needs CPR."

Helen was the first to drop down above him and blew into his mouth before performing thirty consecutive compressions on his chest.

"Is that even right?" William asked frantically.

"Yes," Micah answered for her as his wife continued to work on Carlisle, "She was a teacher for many years before we were changed. She was trained to do this a number of times."

Helen counted out loud to herself as she continued to press down on Carlisle's chest. Emmett placed a hand on Jasper's back and they looked down at Carlisle's lifeless body. He hadn't moved, and his skin looked even more pale than it typically did.

"Twenty-nine, thirty," Helen whispered to herself before making her way back to breath air into his mouth. When he didn't respond, she went back to the compressions before Carlisle began to cough and water poured out of his mouth.

Helen's eyes flickered with hope and she guided him onto his side so the rest of the water hindering his breathing could come up. She patted him on the back gently as he continued to cough wildly until he his eyes finally flickered open. Smokey air came from his mouth as he breathed in and out before he wrapped his arms around himself and his teeth began to chatter.

"Carlisle!" Emmett said, now squatting.

"I'm freezing," he said, through chattering teeth, clenching his jaw at the sides.

Everyone looked down at their own soaked clothes and realized that switching clothes would him would do no good.

"We have to get him to a hospital," Helen said.

"No," Carlisle said, barely able to get the word out, "We can't."

"He's right," Jasper said, "He's not really human. They'll know something's not right. He doesn't have a heartbeat, or a pulse, or anything."

"There's got to be a store nearby," Emmett said, "I'll get him some clothes. That's a start."

Jasper nodded, "We have to head back toward Washington. If you haven't met up with us by the time we hit he Idaho border, we'll stop and wait."

"Okay," Emmett agreed.

"Should I go with you?" William asked.

Emmett looked to Jasper who shrugged and nodded.

"Come on," Emmett told his son, "We'll get as much heavy clothing as possible."

The two of them ran off into the distance with the hopes of running into a town. Jasper looked at Micah and Helen, motioning for them to join him in the journey back to Forks. He looked down at Carlisle.

"I'm going to carry you as far as I can. Emmett and William are going to come back with a change of clothes. Hang in there, Carlisle."

Jasper lifted him from the ground and Carlisle tried to stay warm against him but found it impossible. The winds continued to whip wildly and the open land around them didn't provide much shelter.

"Where are Christopher and Jacqueline?" Micah asked, looking around the empty landscape.

"I don't know," Jasper said, "But we have to go now to get him out of this weather."

A low growl from somewhere in the distance made them all stare in that direction. Jasper tensed up and Carlisle slowly opened his eyes as he struggled to stay warm and began to shake violently.

"What was that?" Helen asked. She turned to Jasper who had the same expression on his face as she did.

"I don't know," he said, then thought back to Alice's words about being on a reservation. Could it be wolves? he thought.

They began to walk slowly at Jasper's command before a pair of large wolves could be seen in the distance. The one on the left was black and massive; very similar to Sam's warrior form. It's teeth were barred and it snarled and huffed. On the right was the polar opposite, a wolf that was all white with pale blue eyes. It was unique and equally beautiful, walking calmly with each stride and no hint of aggression.

Micah and Helen looked panic-stricken, thought Jasper began to speak, hoping these wolves would prove to be as understanding as the Quileutes.

"We're not here to hurt anyone," Jasper called out, "We're trying to go home. My friend is sick and he needs help right away or he'll die."

The wolves pace continued, though the black one glanced over quickly at the white one, who continued to march forward calmly.

"We're friends with others of your kind, the Quileute tribe of Washington state," Jasper went on, "We mean no harm and we don't hunt humans. I know you exist because we do, but we need to get home. We won't be returning and we are no threat to you, or the human race."

Both wolves stopped simultaneously at the mention of the Quileutes. They looked over at each other as if they were communicating. The white wolf kicked up some snow and approached them as they got closer, seeming to be asking the other to stay back. It's eyes locked on Carlisle's, though he closed them again and brought his knees toward his chest in an attempt to stay warm.

"His son is married to a warrior tribe member," Jasper said, "We interact. We get along. We're family."

Micah and Helen stood back behind Jasper and looked at each other, locking hands as they did so.

The white wolf glanced back and almost gave a it a nod before the black one took off running, only to return a few minutes later with a long robe between it's teeth, positioning itself in between Jasper and it's counterpart. A moment later, a slender, young woman with long dark hair emerged from around the massive, black wolf, letting her hand run along it's fur as she cupped the side of it's face with her hand lovingly. She wore the robe that hung well past her bare feet and kissed the snow gently as she walked toward Jasper.

"What brings you to these parts?" she asked.

"We came here following another coven, whom was asked to distance themselves from our family in Washington," Jasper said. He looked down at Carlisle and explained the situation about Esme and the couple who had the ability to change vampires into humans, which lead up to Carlisle's current state.

"His son is married to a warrior? His son is a vampire too?" she asked.

Jasper nodded, "That's right. We've learned that the powers of the moon and a wish when things align just perfectly have allowed our kind of have children. A female member of the Quileute tribe imprinted on Carlisle's son Masen. They have a daughter, Cassandra, who is half vampire, half human, but she has the warrior spirit in her from her mother."

The woman looked down at Carlisle and decided that Jasper knew far too much and was far too submissive to be lying. She looked into his eyes as if she were studying him.

"Your eyes..." she said, lifting a hand toward his face, "They're different than the others."

"We hunt animals," he told her, "It's why they're gold and not red. We live in a normal society with humans."

Her eyes didn't break from his, and Jasper continued to stare at her. He knew she believed him and she looked down at Carlisle before asking for Jasper's permission to take him.

Jasper hesitated, but decided that the woman would be able to provide warmth and handed him over. "What's your name?" he asked, "I'm Jasper. Jasper Hale."

"My name is Kayla," she turned, "And that is my fiancé Jeremy. He's decided to stay in the form he's in."

Jeremy snarled slightly, but Kayla looked to him with calming eyes and his aggression completely diminished. She glanced down at Carlisle, who's condition was getting worse.

"He needs shelter," she said, "Soon."

"He's in a very vulnerable state," Jasper said.

She nodded and looked to Jeremy. He approached and leaned up against them, providing Carlisle some shelter from the cold, but not much.

"Our friends are suppose to meet us at the Idaho line, Emmett and William. We need to make sure they know where we are," Jasper told them.

"We'll meet them," Micah volunteered, "And we'll lead them back here."

"Okay," Jasper agreed, "Is that okay?" he looked to Kayla.

"Yes," she agreed with a nod.

"Ch-ch-check my pocket," Carlisle said, "M-my wallet."

Jasper reached into his back pocket and waved Micah and Helen on to go meet up with Emmett. Though the wallet was soaked, he began to flip through it.

"The picture of Masen and Leah," Carlisle went on, reaching his hands toward the fur of Jeremy's coat to try to keep warm.

Jasper found the photo that Carlisle was talking about and showed it to Kayla.

"I believe you," she said with a nod, "We have to go. We still have a little traveling to do before we get to our home."

He nodded and looked down at Carlisle, who looked worse than before. His hair was plastered to his forehead and he almost looked blue as he continued to chatter his teeth together.

Jasper followed their lead, hoping they would make it in time. He realized that all of their phones had been damaged and there was no way to contact the rest of the family. He hoped that running into the wolves was a good omen that Carlisle would be okay, but the thought of the original purpose for traveling there plagued his mind. He knew now that there wasn't much open for Carlisle and Esme's unborn child. At that moment, for some reason, he longed to talk to Alice.