Disclaimer: There isn't one! This one's all me. HOWEVER, Jasper's inflammatory ideas and commentary are not the ideas or values that I ascribe to. This is a work of fiction in a problematic character's POV.

Acknowledgement: Well, I lied, it's not *all* me. This chapter would not be what it is now without my incomparable betas, palmofafreezinghand and Alice's White Rabbit.

Baker Beach, Lexington Standard, The Inn at Golden Gate, and Toad Hall are all real places in San Francisco if you want to check them out for context. The Inn's website is especially cool, and its animation really highlights the location and proximity to the bridge. Just google The Inn at Golden Gate to see it.

Visions Interrupted: Chapter 13 - Revisiting the Past - Jasper POV

So, Peter and Charlotte were in San Francisco. Not surprising to me—they were fond of feeding from the club crowd, a group of humans who tended to be reckless. Some vampires, including my old friends, swore that vampires could get a contact high or a little bit tipsy from drinking human blood tainted with drugs or alcohol (although I always thought it just made the blood taste bitter). Club-going humans were also more likely to take the risk of leaving with a stranger for a promised night of fun, making for an easy hunting ground. Statistics were even higher for this type of human in the gay scene. Peter could pull off black eyeliner and leather pants with the best of them, and Charlotte made for a fetching baby dyke with her short haircut. I'm sure their feeding opportunities were plentiful in The Castro. I chuckled to myself as Alice and I swam toward the coastline of the Bay City. Maybe I'd meet my own version of Christian Slater at the hotel, and he'd take down my history. My story was much more interesting than Louis' ever could be. That fop had never been in a war; he was just a gay Southern dandy. My shit was serious.

Through the fog, the Golden Gate's lights were our guide. We swam up in the twilight hour amid the rocks and rough surf. There were precious few humans on the beach at that hour in mid-December, but there were a few, luckily far enough away that they couldn't spot us emerging from the water. Our sharp eyes zeroed in on them, and my jaw dropped—they were all nude.

"Oh my God," Alice said through giggles. "This must be Baker Beach."

"And that is?" I asked, an eyebrow raised, unable to tear my eyes from the hairy man with love handles and a limp noodle laid out on the rocky crag.

"It's a clothing-optional beach," she explained. "No one swims here because the water is too rough, but the crags and bluffs are perfect for hiding nudity from the tourists. A little farther away from the bridge is where the clothed people hang out."

"It's December! Aren't they freezing?"

She gave me a cute little shrug. "They must be polar bears. You know, those crazy humans who like to swim in frigid water? It's like a challenge to them."

"How do you know so much about this, darlin'?" I asked, teasing her now.

She shrugged again and grinned at me. "I like naked people?"

Alice had a habit of seeking out nude beaches wherever we went traveling; she wasn't ashamed of her body, and she'd become a vampire during the era of the flapper. Having no memories of being human, the risqué behavior of those women was her guide, especially seeing as their chosen bob hairstyles matched her own, and she embraced their mentality of socio-sexual freedom. She liked to parade her perfect, petite form in front of others, and she was rather fond of showing me off as well. Being naked in front of humans took some getting used to, but nudists didn't really care about your nudity, they just wanted the freedom to let it all hang out. And the ones who did care, liked what they saw but instinctively knew we were unattainable, so no harm there. Still, she hadn't known we were coming to San Francisco until just a few hours ago, so how had she known about this beach?

She saw me ask her, and she answered before I actually voiced the question. "I sort of haunted the area when the family was living in Oregon in the '30s. I knew they were there, and I knew I couldn't join them yet, but I wanted to be close to them all the same while I waited for you. I never got too close, just wanted to be in the same geographical vicinity. It made me feel like I belonged to something, even though I was still alone. Does that make sense?" I nodded and gave her a boost of reassurance. "Well, that's when I happened across this beach. Actually, that's when I discovered nude beaches in the first place! So, Baker kind of has a special place in my heart."

"Well, this is kind of a perfect place to get out, isn't it? These clothes are too wet and tattered to wear anyway. So let's ditch them and find a blanket with some clothes we can take."

"But what will those humans do when they discover their clothes are gone?" she asked, her eyebrow arched.

What did I care about the humans' modesty? "We need clothes, don't we?"

Alice frowned. "But they'll be frumpy."

I laughed outright as I began to shed my clothes, leaving them to drift out to sea. The only thing I held onto was my wallet. The paper money would be no good anymore, and we wouldn't be able to use the credit cards if we didn't want to be found, but you never knew when you might need identification. I was certain Alice didn't have hers, so one of us should, just in case. "We can deal with a little frump for a few hours, Al. It's not going to kill you."

She huffed, but she slid her dress over her head and began to unclasp her bra. "You sure you don't mind me parading around in my birthday suit?" she teased.

"Not at all, darlin'. You'll be the most beautiful girl here, and everyone will know you're mine. Besides, there's no competition," I teased her back, motioning over my chiseled form as we stepped out onto the shore.

We did get a good number of appreciative glances as we strolled hand in hand down the beach, making small talk for appearance's sake but really just looking for some suitable clothing that we'd be able to steal. A pair of flip-flops and a T-shirt from one towel, some cargo shorts and a madras shirt on another, Birkenstocks and khaki shorts on the next towel—soon we each had scavenged a complete outfit, and we ducked behind an outcropping to dress, and then casually walked off the beach and strolled down the street. Throughout the escapade, Alice grumbled under her breath about the indignities of wearing such pedestrian clothing. I could have taken away her agitation, but her pout was just too adorable.

As soon as we were out of sight of the humans, Alice picked up the pace. I hurried to match her speed. "We don't have much time to spend here, Jazz," she said, suddenly all business. "The snowfall in my vision is bound to happen soon. We need to send Peter and Charlotte back to Forks and head down to South America. Maybe the Ticuna people will know something, like Edward and Carlisle were thinking. We were going to make that trip anyway. Maybe we can find something useful. Then we can hide out on Isle Esme until the confrontation is over." I nodded and smiled tightly. I didn't have the heart to take away her hope, but there was no way our former family was surviving what was coming for them. We would never see them again. I wondered how she would react when she saw. Would she be distraught, unprepared for their demise? Or would she feel resigned, having realized this strong probability? I didn't want to open that can of worms now; we had my friends to locate.

We made our way to the Golden Gate Inn as rapidly as we dared to walk. The scent of my former comrades was there, but it wasn't fresh—they had been gone for several hours. Alice was a woman on a mission, her eyes focusing and unfocusing repeatedly as she searched for my old friends' whereabouts. I followed after her, not really paying attention to where we were going, instead focusing on what was in store for us next.

So, she saw us going to South America, did she? I had to admit that hiding out on the island sounded nice, even though I might have to burn down the bed where the demon was conceived for my own peace of mind. I wasn't too thrilled about the path we'd have to take to get there though, and the multitude of native peoples we'd likely encounter. We'd have to travel through Central America, and those people reminded me too much of Maria. That vile woman had held me captive—me! A hardened Major of the proud Confederate Army! It was a shock, waking up to this vampire life I hadn't known existed, especially with the burden of my gift to deal with. It had been easy for Maria to entrap me and fill my head with lies that the way we lived, in a constant cycle of war and death, was just the way of life for vampires. But I was special. I would be allowed to live. She kept me for my ability, but she used it against me, fooling me into thinking she loved me.

Murder and mayhem was the name of the game living with Maria, and for an empath like me, it meant a lifetime of pain. Pain like I had never felt while fighting in the Confederate Army. No, when I was a human, I had chosen to fight, and I relished the blood of my enemies, rising quickly in the ranks due to my zeal. But as a vampire, with this cursed ability to feel everything other people felt, both human and vampire, I could no longer enjoy the satisfaction of ending the life of my adversary nor could I enjoy nourishing myself when I could feel all their pain, fear, and sadness. I had been karmically quite fucked, it would seem. Maybe I could convince Alice to swim the rest of the way, at least to the Panama Canal, so I could avoid the old stomping grounds and the terrible memories that came with it.

Eventually, we picked up a fresh trail, and we followed their scents and Alice's foresight to Toad Hall, a versatile gay and lesbian club on 18th Street. On the way, Alice insisted on breaking into Lexington Standard for more suitable eveningwear. While Alice scoured the racks for both me and herself, I thought about what we were fleeing from.

There was no way I was going to allow Alice, or myself for that matter, to die for the demon spawn and Edward's incomprehensibly controlled newborn bride. For the past few years, all of our lives have been put in jeopardy for the sake of Edward's unconventional love, and I was sick to death of it. I only went along with it because Alice cared for the stupid boy so much and thought Isabella was her bestest friend in the world. Bella might even agree, if not for the emphasis on fashion.

I wouldn't miss Edward—that was certain. The melodramatic, eternally stunted teenager whose moods could swing like a monkey in a tree canopy. An insecure little runt whose every whim was granted by his pseudo Mom and Dad. Yes, Carlisle capitulated to Edward's mercurial ways and snap decisions without a care for the rest of us. It was more than clear that Edward was his golden child, and we all played second banana to him. As a leader, Carlisle wasn't the best—he was far too passive to be leading a coven, in my opinion—but Alice loved the Cullens, and it was easy to manipulate Carlisle into a leader I could trust to keep us safe while still keeping his pacifism in the fore, lest he ever figure out what I was doing. He might not understand that I was helping him lead as effectively as he could. Esme was no better than Carlisle on the doting-on-Edward front, but I accepted it more from her because she felt that way about all of us and would defend and bolster each one of us to the ends of the earth.

Rosalie and Emmett, though … I would miss them. Emmett was the most fun person I'd ever had the pleasure of meeting, and we could raise hell with the best of them. He was easy to get along with and just had a very genuinely upbeat personality. It was hard to feel bad when he was around. With Rosalie, it was very easy to feel bad when she was around, but I had a healthy respect for that woman. She was strong and proud and tenacious, and she didn't take shit from anyone, ever. She fought for what she believed in, and her convictions never wavered. Plus, she hated Edward as much as I did; she was just more willing to let him know it, which also made me respect the hell out of her. Rosalie and Emmett? I was sad that they'd be killed, and I hoped they'd make a run for it. But they were both too proud for that; Emmett was ready to prove himself, and Rosalie did love her family despite hating them at the same time. Plus, she'd do anything to protect the dhampir.

Collectively though, the group had become a disaster, and it had been waiting to happen for a long time. In a way, I was glad Alice was the target of the Volturi. If Golden Boy had never suicidally travelled to Volterra, the Triad would never have known about Alice and her gift, and they would never have come looking for it. I'd resented the hell out of him for putting Alice in their crosshairs for the sake of his melodrama, but in a way, I was grateful that Edward had fucked up so royally. It had given us a chance to escape death without rebuke. And now they would all be obliterated, and Alice and I would be left to our own devices. Why continue to drink bland animals then if the patriarch and all of his followers were dead? Maybe I could sway her to return to drinking human blood. We could try stealing from blood banks, or I could practice the Vulcan neck pinch and make my victims pass out before I killed them. Thank God for Star Trek, teaching me a way not to feel a victim's terror and despair in their last moments so I could enjoy their sweet, satisfying blood. I would have to bring it up to her, perhaps a little farther into our journey, once the orca blood had been fully absorbed.

"Okay, Jazz, here ya go!"

Alice shocked me from my thoughts by throwing an armload of clothes at me, which I obediently donned. I didn't even look in a mirror; I was so used to Alice picking clothes for me—I'm sure I looked fine. Arm-in-arm, we strolled down the block to the club and waited in the long line to enter. It was always a concern going to places like this because Alice was so small in stature; she was often asked for ID. We were in luck this time, thanks to her sophisticated attire and a boost of assurance to the bouncer from me. We were waved inside.

The flashing strobes, pounding dance music, sweat-filled, acrid air were immediately irritating. I just didn't see why anyone would subject themselves to this atmosphere. I was accustomed to it in moments, and then emotions poured into me—a hedonistic, sensual overload of debauchery.

Alice glanced over at me and laughed at my blissed out expression. Then she playfully smacked my arm. "Come on, Jazz, snap out of it! We have to find them. There's no time!" she insisted with a shake of her head, and then she was dancing off to the other side of the room to look for my friends.

I struggled for a few moments to pull myself together and focus on the mission, but eventually, I managed it, and it wasn't long before I spotted Peter's petite mate, grinding up on some butch human woman. I moved forward for a better look, directly into the path of a large floor fan.

Charlotte smelled me before she saw me, and her emotions changed from sensual and thirsty to on edge and uneasy. Charlotte never really liked me. First, she had feared me as the Major, in charge of her newborn existence. Then, when Peter rescued me from Maria's clutches and let me join them for a while, she was irritated by my depression. She was glad to see me leave. She finally caught my eye across the crowd and gave a little wave, saying, "Oh, Jasper, hi," with false enthusiasm. "What are you doing here?" she asked in a normal voice that I could hear despite the distance and noise.

Then Alice danced up behind her, encircling her waist with her small arms. Charlotte turned and greeted her enthusiastically with a hug. "Alice! How are you? What are you guys doing here?"

"We were passing through, and I saw you and Peter were here, so we stopped," Alice lied.

My presence forgotten, I listened to them catch up from across the room. When Alice and I had found each other, we ran with Peter and Charlotte for a while, and the two girls became thick as thieves. Charlotte liked Alice. Hell, everyone liked Alice. What's not to like? She was a cheerful person, and she knew exactly what you wanted to hear. I envied that about her but was endlessly grateful to have her as my go between with others. I didn't have to be gregarious or even talk at all with Alice at my side. No one even noticed me when she was around once they got past my scarring. I was free to observe and strategize, reading the emotional climate and adapting to it, or adapting them to suit my own needs.

No one really knew the real me, not even Emmett. I only showed Emmett my playful side. The real me was filled with disdain and resentment at not being able to live like a normal vampire. I was well and truly doomed to never be satisfied by a feed because of my cursed gift. But nobody wanted to be around that energy, and I didn't want to project it, so I buried it deep within me. I wasn't satisfied working for Maria toward the end, and she never knew until the very last few weeks. I had been a soldier as a human and a vampire, and soldiers were unflinching and impassive. They did their duty with no questions asked whether they agreed with it or not. That's what I did, and that's what I'll continue to do. Stoicism has never failed me before, and it wouldn't now.

Edward thought he knew me, just as he thinks he knows everyone. He couldn't imagine anyone being capable of subverting his gift, and he certainly suspected nothing of the sort. He thought he was always getting an authentic read on everyone. Honestly, it was highly amusing to me. I was able to outsmart Edward after only a few weeks of knowing him and able to do it consistently for decades. My subterfuge also came with a side of pride; since Edward's ability had no off switch, it was a true test of my strength of will. And I had never once failed to fool him.

The air shifted, and I smelled him. Peter was dancing in the throng of bodies and hadn't noticed me. I wondered if he had just fed; his movements were a little off, like a drunk person. It seemed that his meal had been intoxicated. I wondered if Charlotte's had been too. It would certainly explain their separation from one another.

Peter was really the only friend I had. We'd both shown each other solidarity and good will on a number of occasions and had lived through Hell under Maria's thumb. No one really knew me better, not even Alice. Alice didn't know everything about my time with Peter before Charlotte, but suffice it to say, we'd been close. **

There are some things that Alice just didn't need to know, and my former relationship with Peter was one of them. It had never been too serious or committed, and when Charlotte entered the fold, that part of our relationship ceased, and it was never a problem between us. Neither of us was interested in being together again, otherwise Alice would have seen it. Since she hadn't, there was no sense in telling her something that might hurt her, especially after all this time.

Peter still hadn't noticed me, so I made my way across the dance floor, dancing up behind him and fitting myself against him. He turned with a smile, delightfully surprised.

"Jasper, how the hell are ya?" he cried needlessly over the music. Of course, he'd have to do that with a human to keep up appearances, I think he was too tipsy to realize he could turn off the charade for me. He turned to face me. "Alice see us?"

I nodded as we continued to dance, letting the music move us. Soon, the song shifted to a slower beat, and Peter looked around for Charlotte, seeing her dancing with Alice. "Look how cute they are!" he said with a grin. "They both have short spiky hair," he yelled over the music. Oh, boy, how drunk had his kill been? Obviously, our mates heard him, and we all left the dance floor, exiting the noisy, odorous club into the dark, cool alley behind it.

When we were clear of human ears, Peter started the conversation, leaning against the cool brick wall. "So, what brings you to San Fran? Did you leave the Cullens? Decide to try eating like normal vampires again?" He chuckled, and he and Charlotte shared a conspiratorial glance. Yes, they were definitely a little punch drunk, and I was starting to find myself smiling and chuckling a bit more.

I opened my mouth to say maybe, but Alice cut me off with a sharp, "No! Of course not. We're as committed as ever to our diet. No, we left because they're in trouble, and we're trying to help them."

Charlotte's guard went up immediately. "What kind of trouble?"

"It's about Edward," she said, stalling for time, trying to sort out how to word it, no doubt.

Peter scoffed. "Of course it is. What the hell has that madman gotten himself into now?"

Alice was absolutely affronted by Peter's disdain for our freakish pseudo-brother, so I worked hard to stifle my chuckle as I took the burden from her and told Peter, "Well, he married that human he was protecting the last time you visited, and then he knocked her up."

Alice's mouth dropped open at my blunt answer, and she chastised me, "Jasper!" as Charlotte uttered, "Wh-whaaat?" in shock simultaneously with Alice's rebuke, and Peter just stared open-mouthed.

"Yup," I went on. "That's what happened. And now the Volturi think it's an immortal child, and they're coming to kill all of them."

Alice gave me a look that could have set me on fire. "Unless," she emphasized irritably, "they can be stopped to listen to an explanation. That's where you come in." She nonchalantly pointed between them with one hand on her hip.

Peter raised his eyebrows. "Excuse me? Where we come in?"

Charlotte shook her head, holding her palms out to ward off Alice's suggestion. "I don't want to get mixed up in Edward's problem. That boy's always been a little off, hasn't he?"

Alice huffed, crossing her arms in frustration. "That's not the point! Innocent vampires are going to die unless enough vampires are there to witness the child's growth and attest to it to the Volturi! I've seen it!"

Peter turned to me and asked, "And why aren't you two with them?"

Before I could tell him anything, Alice rushed to say, "We're gathering witnesses, silly!"

I knew why Alice didn't want to tell the truth. If—no, when Peter and Charlotte decided to go, they couldn't know the real reason we left or where we were headed because Edward couldn't find out and pass the information on to Aro, however unintentionally. That boy was such a huge liability. As my friends mulled it over, there was nothing I wanted more than to take back this ask. On the night I had let them escape Maria's compound, I felt Peter's intense mate bond with Charlotte and didn't intervene. When Peter came back for me, knowing I was unhappy with my life's trajectory, I knew he was a true friend. How could I send the only person who ever looked out for me to his possible death? That was what Alice wanted because she had foreseen it, and I would do anything to keep my mate safe, just like Peter had. So I remained quiet as they thought and communicated with their eyes, as only mates could do. It didn't sit well, sending my old friends off to potential slaughter. But I did have a glimmer of hope. Peter may have been my subordinate in Maria's army, but he had been present for strategy meetings and had seen the realities of war firsthand. I had to believe that maybe he could impart some of his wisdom to the group before getting the hell out of dodge. I had my issues with some of the Cullens, but I didn't want them to die. They didn't deserve that.

"Well, all right, we'll do it because we're fond of most of your coven," Peter agreed finally. "And if Alice has already seen us there, well, I guess we're meant to at least scope things out. But we reserve the right to leave. If things go south, you and Alice can come run with us again if you want to. Like the old days."

At that moment, a trio of drunken gay guys stumbled into the alley, arms haphazardly thrown around one another's shoulders. One of them stopped dead in his tracks and looked my wife up and down in awe. "Is that...Hermes?"

Alice grinned and nodded feverishly, probably a little too fast, but they were too drunk to notice.

"O.M.G. Fabulous!" another one called out.

Alice and Charlotte were totally sucked into a fashion-gushing session, so Peter and I walked down the alleyway, not far enough to lose sight of them but enough that their conversation wouldn't distract us from our own.

"Will you be going to Maria and asking her to witness?" Peter asked casually, but I felt his wariness. He didn't want to cross paths with her again after his desertion, but then, neither did I, and he should have known that.

"Certainly not. Don't you remember she was plotting to kill me before you came to rescue me? Well, she ended up finding me while I was living with the Cullens in Calgary, and it wasn't fucking pretty. She came to finish the job and off me once and for all, and when we bested her, she called the cops and told them Carlisle was murdering people. We had to leave all our stuff behind and use completely different names for a decade. So, no, absolutely not. We'll get around her in the ocean, thank you very much."

"Ocean travel, how delightful," Peter said sarcastically.

"Orca was pretty damn satisfying. I don't really mind. Alice hates what it's doing to her clothes though."

"Get a waterproof backpack from some surf shop and keep your clothes in that when you're swimming."

"Great idea, thanks."

"So," Peter said, drawing the conversation back to the matter at hand. "Who else are you going to get, if not Maria?"

I debated whether or not to go along with Alice's lie, but I just couldn't let him believe I would be coming back when we had absolutely no intention of doing so. "We're not getting anyone else. Alice only saw us sending you along. I can't tell you why, but we won't be returning to face the Volturi."

"What?! But you're the fucking Major!" Peter was filled with doubt now, and his anger and distrust were starting to build.

"I know, but, Peter, Alice saw that if she stayed, everyone would die. She had to leave to give them a chance at survival. And you know I can't leave my mate to fend for herself. The rest of them know how to fight. I taught them."

"No one can stand against the Volturi and win."

"Alice sees a chance. The Cullens have been good to us. If Alice isn't there, they'll pause long enough to hear testimony of the child's growth. That's why witnesses are so important. Believe me, I wish I could be there to kick some Volturi ass, if it came to that." I leaned in closer and whispered so the still-chattering girls would have a hard time hearing. "But between us? I think it's a losing battle. If you want to scope it out, maybe give a few pointers, and then take off, I wouldn't fault you for it."

"Like I said, we'll go see what's going on. But if it looks bad, we're outta there."

"That's fair."

Charlotte and Alice were walking back toward us, and when they were a few feet away, Alice said, "Jazz, we have to go. There's more for us to do."

I nodded solemnly and held out my hand for Peter to shake. "Thank you. Both of you. But a word of advice—don't let the child touch you. If you do, you'll fall for her charms and lay down your life for her like the rest of them. Give yourselves a chance to run. Don't let the girl touch you."

And then I watched as they walked away, possibly for the last time.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**I'm referencing my own fic here: The Pretense of Dominance and Control, available on FFn and AO3 separately and as part of the Visions Interrupted outtakes. Ridiculous title I know; I've never been a great titler! In the outtakes collection, I titled it The Major. It's the backstory of Peter and Jasper in which they have a fling before Charlotte comes along. The only difference is that in the one-shot, Charlotte likes Jasper. Obviously, she isn't too fond of him here. Hope you enjoy it! I consider it an outtake, as the Peter/Jasper relationship is a head canon I'm working off of in this story.

The Calgary incident referenced is from Tale of Years: 1950 by jessicanjpa, used with permission from the author. SMeyer rather notoriously teased something major happening when Maria discovered Jasper in Calgary but never actually telling us what happened! jessicanjpa's version of what went down in Calgary is canon in my mind and I just couldn't fathom it happening any other way than the way she wrote it. Definitely give it a read—it's such an engrossing series! To read the head canon, go to her Tumblr page and search #calgary incident