-MAISIE-

Exhaustion is a hell of a thing. I woke on Monday morning with a head full of cotton, peeling myself from the bedsheets only to find I was wearing the crease pattern all over my arms and legs. My mouth set in a grimace thanks to the dryness there. It was a good thing Jasper didn't sleep, because apparently, I didn't move one itty-bitty centimeter in my sleep.

Bones heavy and muscles stiff, I pushed myself off the bed and stumbled into the bathroom. A mouthful of tap water fixed one of my problems. I splashed my face, too, trying to inspire myself to wake up fully. That helped some, but I groggily came to the decision a shower would be better.

The water was already steaming the bathroom when I remembered the engagement ring Jasper had given me the night before. It twinkled at me while I undressed, catching the bathroom light and throwing it all around. A pear-shaped setting with a halo, and a jeweled band. All those stones shimmering in their silver setting; dainty, classic. I smiled like an idiot at the memory of the night before because holy shit I'm getting married, then slipped the ring from my finger and placed it in the cabinet for safekeeping.

My muscles felt like they were melting under the hot water. I stood under the stream of it, not even bothering to reach for shampoo or body wash, just focusing on the feeling. There was still work to be done that Monday, and I had class that afternoon. We had spent Sunday with the Cullens, a nice, cozy day and a much-needed break after the castle of horrors we had endured in Italy. Under the patter of the water, I heard Jasper talking to Jett a floor below me.

"I hear her, too," he murmured. "She'll be down here soon."

In the steaming water of the shower, I took some time to evaluate myself. The remnants of Jasper's bite on my wrist was already healing; over the two days or so that had passed, it had gone from scabbed to freshly scarred. The skin puckered, pink and healing, not yet faded to the silver of a venom-laced bite. Besides that, I ached all over, though I guessed that wasn't too surprising considering all the stress we had gone through. My throat itched the way it had when I was limiting my blood consumption. When was the last time I had blood?

Before I had left for Italy, I realized. No wonder I was exhausted and achy.

Out of the shower, I slipped one of Jasper's sweaters over my head, pulled on a pair of my old athletic shorts from high school volleyball practices. Honestly, I was putting off facing the day. I still had to tell my parents, something had to be done about informing Sam and the wolf pack, and we had to plan when we would return to South America to tell Nahuel. Thinking about any of it made me want to throw up, so I pushed it all from my mind and bounded down the stairs.

Jasper had anticipated my needs just as I had. I met him in the kitchen, already filling a mug from one of the bags of blood kept secreted away in the bottom drawer of the fridge. Jett was nestled against his shoulder in one arm, idly chewing on his hand while Jasper. worked. He perked up when he saw me, though, lifting his head and awarding me with one of his cute, gummy smiles. "He's been waiting for you."

"Hey, buddy. You've been waiting for me, huh?" I took him from Jasper, cuddling him to me and kissing the top of his head. Neither Jasper nor I had a lot of time with Jett yesterday. He had spent most of his day being passed between Rosalie and Esme. I watched Jasper's back while he warmed my mug in the microwave. It wasn't until he turned to hand it to me that I remembered his eyes were as red as the blood I was about to drink. I grimaced. "You didn't have to make it for me."

He only shrugged, but I could only guess what agony he must be in. There was no movement in his chest or shoulders, making it obvious he wasn't breathing. It looked like his jaw was clenched, too. I felt terrible for his undue suffering. Pursing my lips, I gave Jett back to him and slipped out the back door located in the kitchen. Alaska was not warm in October, but the extent of the cold I had come to know here hadn't yet fully set in. My bare legs prickled at the chill, but it wasn't too terrible weather.

Still, I drank quickly. Edward and Jasmine were our only neighbors, sure, but I wasn't the only one who made a habit of running through the sparse woods around here. It wasn't unusual to see student athletes doing the same in groups of two or three, and I didn't want to be caught on the back porch with a less than favorable morning drink in my hands.

"You didn't have to drink that outside," Jasper countered when I came back in. I rinsed the cup in hot water, rolling my eyes.

"Didn't you have enough stress this weekend?" He chuckled softly behind me. I cupped my hands under the faucet, rinsing my mouth as well. "Do you need to go hunting again?"

One brow raised over his red eyes. He had gone hunting with his brothers and Carlisle the day before, but the animal blood hadn't made any change to the ruby hue of his eyes as far as I could tell. "Ideally. Jasmine and Ed want to go, anyway. It's moose rutting season. I suppose Eddy's made it sound fun enough."

The brothers loved any animal that would put up a fight, and with it being the height of rutting season, the bulls were sure to give them the fight they wanted. I guess that love of a fight in a hunt had extended to Jasmine, unlike Rose and Alice. Those two went for easier, less messy prey. Not to mention that moose are massive animals. Surely even one would go a long way in sating the intensified thirst my blood had brought on for Jasper.

"Go," I told him. "We'll be fine here."

"I'm sure," he smiled down at me. "Rosalie's at the door."

I shook my head. While Carlisle and Esme had flown back to Forks the night before, along with Alice, Rosalie was hesitant to tear herself away from Jett. She and Emmett had lingered in Alaska, holing up at a tiny bed and breakfast in town. "You better get Emmett, too, or else you'll hurt his feelings."

"Hell yeah! Look at my favorite kinda-sorta vampire little sister sticking up for me. FYI, Maise, horny moose is the best moose." Emmett's manners had always left a bit lacking. I had no doubt Rosalie would have knocked, had her husband not let himself in.

He laughed when I scrunched my face in disgust, shoving Jasper toward the door. Jasper pressed Jett back into my arms before taking off after Emmett. They raced each other next door. I guess I shouldn't have been worried about being seen drinking blood in the yard; they certainly had no qualms about displaying their vampiric prowess.

It looked like I was in for another day of Jett deprivation. I tried to be gracious, letting Rose take him from me as she smiled her radiant smile. Jett looked content enough in Rosalie's arms, though I wanted to take him from her. Guilt won in the end.

"I missed you during the night, sweet boy," Rosalie cooed at him. I miss you too. Jett helped center me, in a way. He was concrete, giggling, wiggling, sweet reassurance that I had done the right thing. Now I was left to putter around the house, without even Alice and Jasmine for company like I had during yesterday's hunting trip.

I had slept late enough that making lunch for myself was a reasonable way to try to occupy myself. I had class late in the afternoon; perhaps Rosalie being here was actually a good thing. When the boys went hunting, there was no guarantee how long they would be away. Maybe Jasmine would hold them accountable, but at least I had Rosalie to fall back on as babysitter.

Pulling bread from the cabinet, ham and cheese from the fridge, I intended to make a quick sandwich. Instead… I froze. That feeling was coming back, the one that had nearly consumed me in the airport. Like I was too big for my skin, near to bursting.

This is the beginning of the end. The thought came to me unbidden, chilling me to the bone with its truth. My engagement ring glittering on my left hand, Jett cooing in the living room…both of these joyous things were harbingers for the end of Maisie Thompson as I had always been.

Methodically, I put everything away, tidy in their rightful spots. Rosalie was asking Jett why he was so sweet in the living room, earning herself coos and giggles in return. He was so active already, though I guessed that could be due to vampiric heritage. I had noticed he was strong, seeming to be more in control of his muscles than a baby his age should be. He picked his head up often and seemed to move his arms and legs with intent. I smiled, thinking of the way he wound his hand in strands of my hair when I held him.

I felt trapped. Hot. The rest I had gotten gave me the clarity of mind to realize that, though physically in the clear, my ordeals were long from over. Perhaps I should have given it more thought in the privacy of the bathroom rather than pushing all those feelings and thoughts away. I could have had a proper emotional meltdown in the shower.

My eyes darted around the kitchen, looking for an option. It came in the form of my running shoes, sitting muddy and abandoned on the mat next to the back door. I was all too grateful, slipping them on in a hurry. Good thing I had dressed for comfort earlier; my shorts and Jasper's sweatshirt were acceptable running attire.

"Rose, I'm going for a run," I murmured, not bothering to raise my voice.

I set off without stretching. The chilly air felt good in my lungs, pricking on my legs and cheeks as I ran. It was like a minty balm, clearing some of the anxiety from my head. We have a cover story for my parents, I reminded myself. Jasper and I created one. It won't be hard to get doctored papers from that Jenks guy. We'll be able to make it look legit.

Hopefully my running mantra would hold true. I was no stranger to this running path; my feet remembered it for me. The familiarity left my mind open to plan. Telling Gunner over the phone was fine because he was already privy to so many details, but this would be a total shock to Mom, Dad, and Ava. I decided it was best to reveal Jett to them in person, which would mean a trip to Forks next weekend. That was fine; I had business with Sam Uley anyway.

Carlisle did me a massive kindness before the family disbanded again on Sunday evening. That kindness came in the form of being the one to tell Kate and Tanya of their sister's death at the hands of the Volturi. I don't think I would have had it in me to retell our horror story again, and I was so thankful Carlisle was able to identify that in me.

Kate and Garrett came Monday evening, after I had returned from class. Jett was napping, laid out in the middle of the living room floor. He had tired himself out with Emmett, who had been carrying him flat on his belly in his hands, making airplane noises and narrating an adventure all while Jett 'flew' around the room. Kate's knock at the door was soft. A question.

Jasper stood up to answer the door, Rosalie dogging his steps. "Lay off, Rose. She's not angry."

"Not angry yet." Her argument fell flat, however, after one firm look thrown over Jasper's shoulder. I still didn't know who she was, yet. My sense of smell wasn't so highly evolved that I could differentiate people by their scent, hybrid status or not. I had heard their footsteps on the half-frozen ground, but I only knew there were two identity-less people until Jasper pulled the door open.

With both of them standing side-by-side, Jasper and Rosalie effectively blocked my view of the door…until Kate pushed between the two of them, all action as always. She made a beeline for me, blurring across the room at her full speed despite Rose's growl. I was gathered up in her arms in the next second, Kate crushing me to her. "Maisie, I am so sorry."

"I think that's my line," I told her, words muffled by her windswept hair. But Kate would hear none of it.

"No. There is nothing under the sun for you to apologize for. I've been telling Tanya for years that Irina was never quite well after our mother died. We have abstained from human blood for decades, but that doesn't necessarily mean all the human men we were with walked away with their lives. Irina would become attached to particular ones, and was always angry when they left—and they always left, after a while. Then she found Laurent, and we thought it would all be better, but that debacle at Rosalie and Emmett's wedding—not your fault, either, Rose—and she just snapped. Tanya doesn't see it this way, but she and I are at fault, too. We knew more about Irina and her mental state than any of you, but we were so lenient with her. Neither of us expected her to carry it this far."

Over the last few days, I had become familiar with the way a vampire's eyes looked when they 'cried', and Kate's fit every descriptor. Tight, though not watery since they produced no tears, yet appearing red-rimmed and puffy. Kate held me at arm's length, searching my face. I shrugged beneath her hands.

"It's not y'all's fault, either. Besides, it's all said and done. We can't change any of it."

We can only go forward. It was the first time the thought had run through my head, but I liked the feel of it there. I motioned toward the middle of the room, where Jett was snoozing. "I got a few good things out of the ordeal, anyway."

"This the little guy Carlisle told us about, then?" Garrett asked, taking a ginger step forward from where he lingered in the doorway with Jasper. I noticed Emmett had moved to that side of the room, too, a bulking arm thrown a little too casually about Rosalie's waist. She was pouting beside him, exquisite lips pursed and flawless brows furrowed.

"He is." I scooped Jett off the floor, but he didn't so much as stir. Emmett really had exhausted him in their play. How much had Carlisle told them? I didn't think it was wise to tell our friends the whole truth, but Carlisle had more experience with the Volturi than I did. I hedged my bets and offered no explanations. "His name is Jett."

Kate and Garrett gathered around, gazing down at Jett with the same curious disbelief everyone had so far. If I didn't have his warm weight in my arms, I don't think I would have been able to believe Jett's existence myself. There was an added remorse edge, to Kate's face. "He'll grow and change. Malleable as any child, I suppose?"

"That's the idea." Kate lifted her hand, gently touching the curve of Jett's cheek.

"Yet his mother was still killed for his creation. The Volturi is consistent, if nothing else." There was pain behind the ironic twist to her mouth. "I am sorry to report Tanya doesn't share my opinions about this ordeal. Garrett and I would have been by sooner, were we not arguing with her. She's quite miffed, but she'll come around. Just give her a decade or two."

She said it like that was no time at all. A decade or two. My stomach gave a squeeze at her phrasing.

"Tanya's always tended to be hot-headed," Jasper commented mildly, drifting toward me. he rested a hand on the small of my back. I leaned into the comfort of it a little. "A decade or two seems a little generous, Kate."

She smiled ruefully at him. "Perhaps three is a more accurate estimate."

Neither she nor Garrett commented on the hue of Jasper's eyes, though they were still very much red. I hadn't yet worked up the courage to call my parents and tell them to expect a weekend visit from Jasper and I—with Jett in tow, of course, though he was a surprise. I hoped a week was enough time for Jasper to correct his eye color through hunting.

Garrett and Kate kept their visit short, though they promised they would drop in again soon. As with everyone who had met Jett so far, they were intrigued by him. I couldn't blame any of them. He was an awfully cute anomaly in the vampire world. I put Jett in his bed and went to my own not long after, leaving Jasper downstairs with his siblings.

When I woke in the morning, though, I found Jasper had done me a massive kindness as well. I had classes much earlier on Tuesdays, so I was stumbling around before the sun was up so I could be coherent enough to pay attention during my seven o'clock geology lab. There was a routine to these days that involved Jasper giving me food while I contemplated my life decisions when it came to taking seven o'clock classes.

That morning, Jasper pushed French toast in front of my sleepy face. Between the powdered sugar and the syrup, I got enough of a sugar high to frame a coherent sentence. "Are you going to hunt with Emmett again today?"

"I'll need to if there's any hope for my eyes to be passable by the weekend, but I'll go alone or with Edward and Jasmine. Emmett and Rosalie flew back to New York last night."

"They did?" I honestly didn't know how long Emmett and Rosalie had intended to visit, but given how taken Rose was with Jett, I definitely expected it to be longer. "Why?"

Jasper's little smile was rueful as he offered me a soda. I don't like coffee but I guess I looked in desperate need of caffeine that morning. "Maisie, you do realize this is your house, right? You can tell people to leave when you need to. Even I know there is a line between manners and subserviency."

I felt my eyebrows knit together. "I didn't have a problem with Rose being here."

His answering smile was small and almost teasing. "Neither did I, but that's where your mind went."

He had me there. I scowled around a bite of my toast. "Are you sure you're not a mind reader, too?"

"Positive, mi amor." He cocked his head to side, as if listening. I did the same but could only very faintly make out a rustling sound. Jett must have been stirring in his crib. Jasper sat down across from me at the table, toying with a pen that had been left there. "You know, you don't have to go to class today."

Once again, my eyebrows knit together. "Why wouldn't I go to class? I have them all morning."

"Because you don't have to." This simple sentence did not compute in my brain. It was a Tuesday, I had class; of course I was going. Jasper smirked, amused by my confusion. "I know you soldiered through school when everything was happening with Maria, but you don't have to do that now. No one can make you go to your college classes. Your parents won't even know. I'm sure you can get notes from someone. If you don't want to go… you don't have to."

Jasper ended this little speech with a shrug of his shoulders just as the weight was lifting from my own. I realized he was right. I didn't have to go. I didn't want to, anyway. I could stay home and the world wouldn't end. "You could've told me that last night before I set an alarm to wake up early as all hell today."

"Go back to bed after you eat," Jasper shook his head. "I only thought of this last night. Would you rather I had woken you to tell you at one-something instead?"

"This is still only number two on my list of preferences for you telling me genius ideas that affect how much sleep I get, but I guess I'll take it. Come with me. Jett's still sleeping, too."

Back in bed, I curled up next to Jasper, laying my head on his chest and examining the map he had drawn on our bedroom wall. That day felt like several lifetimes ago. Those clean lines were liars, making the world look orderly and neat. Jasper's watercolor additions staining the American South and South America in turn were more honest: darker in some places, edges fuzzy and uncertain. He hadn't yet painted Italy.

I listened to his quiet breathing, his exhales ruffling my hair. Though my body relaxed against his, my mind was acutely awake. I was still exhausted, don't get me wrong, but I hadn't realized I was still in fight-or-flight mode while the Cullens had been here. Never mind that they were family, that I loved them, that I had enjoyed their presence and the reassurance that, yes, Jasper and I had survived when I was certain we were facing our demise.

We were home, safe, alone at last. It was early morning and the sun was not yet shining, a child we never anticipated we would have dreaming away warm and happy in his crib. For the first time since the Volturi summons, I was able to truly take a breath, the kind that hurts your ribs because its so big.

"Jasper?" I picked my head up, resting my chin on his chest instead so I could look at him. Really take him in. Tousled honey blonde waves over a handsome face, eyes still red with my blood. I ran my thumb over the scar that cut through his lower lip. He caught my hand there, pressing a kiss to my fingers. "We really did it, huh?"

"Yeah." He sounded like he couldn't quite believe it, either, now that I had framed it that way out loud. "We did."

Inadvertently, Aro had given me a second gift: the ability to love Jasper, fully, physically, with my whole body and soul. My fingers tangled into that tousled hair, drawing myself up to kiss him. His mouth was fervent and straying as his hands, already slipping beneath my pajamas, lips trailing kisses along my jaw and neck. I sighed beneath his touch, catching his mouth with mine again, succumbing to this overwhelming need to feel him. His hands echoed the sentiment, fingers gripping my hip as he pulled me into him, loving me, consuming me.

I was duly convinced Jasper was a genius. Staying home through the week was exactly what I needed. There was so much I learned about Jett in that time.

Like the way he scrunched his nose when he laughed. Or how he rubbed at his eyes and shook his head while waking up, as if sleep were something he needed to physically shed. He loved for Jasper to read to him while they both laid in the floor, face scrunched up in concentration while he took the words in.

He took his formula bottles happily enough, but he was really keen on bottles containing more traditional vampire fare. Jett wasn't the only one who drank blood every day that week. Jasper was practically gorging himself on animal blood, and his eyes lightened every day because of it. By Friday, they weren't quite their usual golden hue, but they were close enough he thought they would pass.

"Are you sure you'll be… comfortable, though?" I had never liked pointing out Jasper's struggle with human blood. I didn't see the point in it. He was well aware of his slip-ups in the past; there was no need to bring it up for him.

"Trust me, I don't feel like I even have muscle or bone any longer. I'm full-up with animal blood. I wouldn't be shocked if you found I was squishy after squeezing me hard enough."

"So, basically, you're a mosquito at this point."

Jasper nodded seriously at my teasing, a grimace on his lips. "A giant, prehistoric mosquito. Don't fret; I'll be on my best behavior. Though I would ask we stay at my parents' house rather than yours, if we can."

On Tuesday, after Jett had woken and Jasper and I were forced from bed, I had finally sucked it up and called my mom to tell her we—meaning Jasper and I—were coming to Forks for the weekend. She asked if I had something exciting to share, and though I twisted my engagement ring around my finger when I answered, being betrothed to Jasper was not the surprise I was thinking of. No, that surprise was cooing and kicking at the mobiles hanging from the cute wooden play gym Esme had bought him.

"I propose we don't travel for a long, long time after this trip to Forks. I'm tired of packing and unpacking."

Jasper stooped to kiss me, pressing Jett against his shoulder to hold him steady, He had fallen asleep while we talked, a fistful of Jasper's shirt in his tiny hand. "Deal. But we still have to go to South America eventually."

I groaned into the shirt I was holding, full dramatics, earning myself a chuckle from Jasper as he withdrew from the room.

"Yeah, if we even survive Forks this weekend," I grumbled to myself. "Aro didn't take me out, but my mom probably will when she finds out I inadvertently became a teen mom."

A/N: Y'ALL I ALMOST FORGOT KATE. I'm so upset with myself for that. Okay. Anyway. I promise the reactions from Maisie's family is coming. I remembered that, duh, Kate and Irina are sisters and Kate would obviously have a reaction and I couldn't leave her out, so that got prioritized.

Anyway, I hope y'all are all doing well. Besides loads of stress (which I know we're all feeling!), I've been lucky to stay healthy as well as my whole family staying healthy. I'm hopeful the same can be said for all of you!