A.N: The last chapter before the major battle is here and I think you guys are really going to like this one!

As always, let me know what you think.
Wanderer.

"Okay so, we have the nomads coming in the morning and then the Denali clan coming around lunch?" I asked, pacing in front of the white board again. After my moment with Carlisle and the talk with Peter, who spent most of it cursing my wife and her 'supernatural freakness', I had called a family meeting and dove straight into planning. According to Alice, we had three days until the first wave came. Scouting parties had been moved but there was too much clouding it, she couldn't get a solid read on them. It made me wonder if Lia and the wolves were involved. I shook that thought from my head. I didn't need to be distracted right now. Right now, I needed to be the general of our small army. "How many does that bring us to?"

"With the other nomads arriving and us, we have around 35." Emmett said, leaning against the wall. "Do we know the exact numbers of the vampires your wife brought?" I was so close to breaking his face. He didn't reference her as anything other than 'your wife' since the whole thing came to light and it was starting to irk me. A lot. I didn't need the constant reminder that my wife…Lia... was out there planning and plotting for war without me, surrounded by many other vampires.

"I'm not su…"

"512." Seth interrupted. The whole family turned to him in silent confusion. He took a small step backwards. "What?"

"How do you know that son?" Carlisle asked softly.

Seth shrugged. "I overheard her telling Old Quil that she had just over 500 vampires at her camp with more another hundred expected today or tomorrow."

"You overheard?" I crossed my arms. He nodded and grinned wolfishly.

"Honestly. I was helping Mum put out the food."

"Then where did you get 512 from? That is a very specific number."

"Oh… well… that I read when I looked at the elders meeting notes." The kid had no shame. I shook my head and added the number to the whiteboard while Emmett boomed a laugh and clapped the kid on the shoulder. Esme shook her head and sighed. Carlisle was frowning at the board.

"How… how does one woman gather such a vast army?" he asked softly. "Aside from the Volturi and Maria of course, I have never met or heard anyone who knew that many vampires let alone rally them together. Volturi and Maria use fear and power. But Emalia, seemed…nice?" It was disturbingly hilarious to see how perplex he looked over the whole ordeal.

"They follow her because she risked her own life to save theirs. She did everything in her power to protect their clans, people, families and homes. They follow her out of respect and a sense of debt but the good kind not the foreclosure kind." Seth piped up again yawning widely. "I am starving." Esme moved quickly into the kitchen no doubt excited at the chance to cook again. Seth glanced wide eyed at me. "Oh man, I didn't mean…" I waved him off.

"She does it because she wants to. Now, how did you know that about Lia?"

"I heard Sam tell Billy. He sounded in awe and explained the way they moved around her and how even though she treated them as equals, they seemed to hold her higher. Paul also heard a few things when he took the severed head back to her camp. They were planning but nothing was being signed off until they spoke to her. Billy asked what he knew, and Sam told him the small snippet he got out of Emalia as well as what Paul said." He grinned again as my stomach sunk, "I notice things. Sam has never liked a vampire like he likes her. No offence." How the hell did that mangy dog know something as deep as that but I, her fucking husband, didn't know? I gritted his my together. There was a long awkward conversation coming her way when this was done, and I didn't need to be a damn seer to know that she was not going to like my questions.

"Anything else you feel like we should know, dog?" Rosalie decided to chimed in. She was relatively quiet throughout this whole planning which in truth made me a little nervous. I had expected her to fly off the rails and demand answers after I returned home. I also expected screaming, fighting and nagging. Instead, I got a tight hug and otherwise silence. It was worrying me.

"I know that over fifty of them are gifted and it ranges from small gifts to massive gifts. I know at least four of them are healers although I don't know if that works on all of us and they aren't sure either. I know that Emalia refuses to stay behind and she will lead her armies personally." Esme returned to the living room and handed Seth a massive plate filled with eggs and bacon and various kinds of bread. "Oh wow! This is amazing. I hope you know I didn't mean my comment as a hint…"

"Oh no don't be silly! I am happy to feed anyone who visits who actually eats. It is refreshing." She smiled and patted his cheek. "Eat up and if you are still hungry, let me know. I have a fully stocked pantry and fridge just for you and Bella."

"Speaking of Bella…" Emmett trailed off with an eyebrow raised. I shrugged. I haven't seen or heard from them since I got back. It was, as mean as it sounded, not my priority. Rosalie scoffed and we didn't need to be a mind reader to know that she annoyed with the whole thing. "I'll go over tonight and see what's up with them."

"So, what's next?"

"Seth, when you are done eating, I need you to shift and try to talk to Sam. Find out what is going on from their end. Once everyone is here, we will start training. We might have to join with Lia's coven…"

"Army." Seth interrupted. I rose an eyebrow in question. "She doesn't have a coven. She is a nomad and only connects with people when they need her help." Esme cupped a hand over her mouth in shock.

"She doesn't have a family?"

"Maria killed the most of her family over the last hundred years apparently. The man who turned her apparently hit her really hard. There's only one or two from her original family that has survived Maria. Other than that, nothing permeant. She stays with people every now and again but then disappears until she is needed again."

"Overheard or read it?" Emmett laughed.

"Paul heard them discussing where she was going to go after this was all over. Killing Maria has been her purpose for the last one hundred and fifty years, so they all believe she is just going to disappear forever. They don't hold it against her. Most hope she kinda does so she can finally rest." He scooped the last mouthful of food into his mouth and swallowed loudly. The room was quiet, and it took me a minute to realise they were all staring at me. I don't know what they expected, but I wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of knowing that my stomach and heart was in shreds.

"So, phase when you can and catch him up to date. Ask him if Lia wants our group there or if we should meet on neutral territory to learn how each other fight. Tell her Alice saw the first wave in 31 hours, I want to meet in 8 hours and then sleep. Your mama will kill me if you don't rest a little." I nodded and turned away. "I am going to hunt. When I get back, we can plan or go pry Edward off Bella." Emmett was the only one who laughed. Peter stepped forward, clearly intending to follow me. "No brother, stay. I'll be back soon." I tore out the back and kept on running. There was too much information running through my head. Lia without a family, Lia being turned and following me through battles to keep me safe… just Lia in general really. She seemed so close to the other men. Especially the big man, Bernard. I wonder if he is one of the last of her original family. It was sad. Lia's biggest fear was spending forever alone and here she was. Spending forever alone. She had me of course, but after the epic ass-chewing I received, I was not so sure I would be welcomed as a family member anymore. That thought just made my heart sink further.

I didn't slow down until I neared the tree. What made me stop however, was the figure leaning up against it, looking out over the town. I hesitated. I didn't know if I would be welcomed around her after our last meeting.

"Don't tell me you are going to sulk?" her soft voice washed over me.

"I wasn't sure if I would be welcomed." I replied, walking over to her. She was still dressed in her cloak but this time her hood was down, and her long hair danced in the soft breeze. It made me think of home and old dances around the barn as we spun so fast her hair would come out of her bun.

"Ain't never stopped you before." Her tone was biting but still soft. Maybe I had been forgiven. I didn't want to ask. Didn't want to really know.

"I'm sorry." It was out before I could stop myself. She turned and rose an eyebrow at me. "What I said, it wasn't fair. We agreed we would wait until after this battle to talk and I just… let my mouth talk without my brain telling it to."

"I sort have started it. I should have just waited to talk." She shrugged.

"Didn't give me a right to use your mother that way."

"No. It didn't. But I understand." It wasn't a comfortable one however and it made my brain itch. I didn't like this awkward feeling around her. It was never an issue when we were human and even before I know it was her, I still felt somewhat comfortable around her. This was new territory and I didn't like it one bit. I didn't know how to fix it though. Maybe my greatest fears of finally losing her for good this time were coming true.

"She died." She soft voice interrupted the silence. I looked at her.

"Who?"

"Mama." She sighed and looked down at the ground. "I went back home too. A few years after I was turned, once the bloodlust was somewhat sedated." I could see her fingers digging into her arms that were tightly crossed. "Maria had destroyed everything." I felt the blow in my chest.

"W…what?

"She destroyed it. Everything. Every person, every horse…everything. I walked into a wasteland of decay and death. She wiped it out as revenge for you leaving her." I felt my knees wobble and Lia grabbed me before I could fall. I vaguely felt her lower us to the ground before she moved away.

"W…why?" why would she do that? Why would Lia tell me?

"I'm not telling you so you can throw a pity party Jasper. Maria is as crazy as an outhouse rat. She thinks she is a goddess upon vampires and everything else is just a steppingstone to greater things. She destroyed most villages or homesteads of those who didn't want to follow her. Especially if killing their love ones has no effect. I just… I don't even know why I'm telling you." Her hand didn't stop rubbing circles on his back. "Maybe for a reason for being completely terrible to you?"

"Lia, you know…" I croaked.

"I know." The silence fell over us again. I was trying to come to grips of the new information. Our home…our people were slaughter in a revenge act because I grew a backbone.

"Ma…" the word got stuck in my throat. I couldn't – didn't - want to picture my mother dead. Flashes of newborn intensity and blood filled my head and I knew if I was human, I wouldn't be able to breathe. Was this a panic attack? Could vampires get panics attacks? The pressure on my back hardened and the circles got larger. It was comforting.

"Everyone. I buried your parents together, next to mine. I couldn't find Jack, but I buried Lorrie next to your ma." Lorrie was the woman my brother had loved since we were kids. "Ma and Pa were next to each other. Actually, I tried to match everyone I could. There were mostly women and child though. Apparently, the priest come to visit a few weeks later and condemned the town to plague. At least, that's what they thought to explain all the graves and lack of people. It's not like he could have known the truth anyway." She sighed again. "I thought seeing a bunch of ravenous human eating monster was scary but that… that was just…shit."

"You buried them all?"

"I couldn't leave them like that." I reached over and grabbed the hand that wasn't rubbing circles on my back. She was still the best person I had ever known. Her compassion was awe inspiring.

"Thank you."

She shook her head. "That's why I got so mad. You had no right to play that card when you didn't see them like that. You had no right…"

"I had no right to do a lot of things Lia. Including falling for Maria's bullshit and leaving you to die alone." I turned to her. "I said those things out of anger and disgust at myself. I had no idea how much you had suffered. If I had known for a second you were alive, I would have hunted the four corners of the world to find you."

"I know." She graced me with a small smile and my chest felt a little less tight. "I'm sorry for showing you."

I rubbed the back of my neck. "I have no idea what you did but I think I needed it. I was being selfish. I really am sorry." Part of me was hoping she would explain but when she sighed and nodded, I knew it was a conversation for another day. I think this conversation more than I deserved.

"Katherine?" I asked a few minutes later. We had yet to let go of each other hands.

"Hmm?"

"You didn't mentioned Katherine." Lia shook her head.

"Katherine was living in the city remember? She wasn't there.."

"That was lucky."

She smiled. "I met my great – great niece a while back." I sat up in shock.

"You what?"

"I know! It was crazy. I was passing through San Antonio after letting a new clan member see their family a last time and she was there. Her blood called to me, which after 57 years was weird in itself. I followed her into the shop, ran into her and asked what her name was." The smile on her face was radiate. "Her name was Emalia. Apparently, it became a tradition for the members of my family to call at least one of their daughters after me. They knew my story … well some of it."

"Tell me?" it was said so softly, that if Lia weren't a vampire, I doubt she would have heard it.

"It mentions I was a troublemaker with pure intentions and that I was a romantic because I died finding my husband after receiving a letter saying he was missing in action, presumed dead. Sharing the name passes down the bravery apparently. That, and Katherine missed me. Us really. Emmy – my niece – was incredibly sweet. A nurse."

"Did you really run after me?" I knew but wanted to hear it. She nodded and ducked her head. I had a feeling if she could, she would have been blushing.

"They sent me a letter telling me you were missing. They sent out search parties and everything, but they assumed you were k…killed after three months. I didn't want to believe it. None of us did. But no one really seemed to want to do anything. So, I did." She shrugged. "If you were dead, I was going to bring you home. If you were alive, we were going to run for it."

"You had it all planned out."

"I thought I did." Silence surrounded us again. This time, it was lighter and less suffocating. I hadn't expected this when I went for a run. All I wanted was to clear my head. Fate, as Carlisle would say, felt I needed something else. It was right. I did need to hear this. We needed to clear the air. Not just for the battle that was coming, but for hopefully the peace we both deserved.

"I missed you." I nodded once. "If I had known Lia, we could have run."

"I missed you more." She said. "I have been following you for so long. It killed me to not tell you to not show you I was there but you…you were doing just fine." She smiled sadly.

"No. I wasn't. I was in a haze. Not really living' and not really dead. I went through the motions of what people thought I should be doing."

"You found happiness though. A family."

I shook my head. "I love my family but there was always something missin'." I looked at her. "My other half was missin'. Family ain't family without you Lia."

She frowned. "But the girl…"

"Alice?" she nodded. I chuckled. "She saw me comin' and saw that I needed help. She's a seer." I answered her unasked question. "She knew I needed guidance. Help. Killin' people was staining what small part of my soul I had left. She took me to Carlisle and he and Esme pretty much adopted me. I turned animal eater and tried to become the person you would want me to be. Who I use to be." I shook my head. "I had no idea how hard that was without you."

"Jasper…"

"No, please just hear me out. You could go back to hatin' me afterwards." She nodded, a small smile dancing in the corner of her lips.

"I've missed you from the second I jumped on that damn horse. I missed you so much, I nearly left the army altogether just to come home to you." I took a chance and cupped her face. "No matter what happens, no matter what outcome or what you choose, I need you to know that the only way I kept livin' after I died was because of you." I was uncertainty and fear in her eyes. She closed them and relaxed in my hands.

"I can't hate you anymore." She said softly. "Having you around, seeing me, made me realise just how much I have missed you." Her amber eyes opened and pinned mine. "I don't know what will happen after all this. I don't know anything really passed getting everyone out alive but I need you to know…for all that I am still angry, I am happy I found you again." She leant forward and pressed her lips on mine.