Carlisle had lived a long time. Heard a lot of things both during his time in Volterra and his time at the hospital.
But none of that could have ever prepared him to withstand the sound of Jasper's broken sobs and repetitive apologies. He hadn't even fought as much as his body language had said he wanted to. As if he was afraid of fighting back.
But that hadn't lasted long for Jor, The Major, had come out.
He hadn't apologized nor begged.
In fact. He had struggled and kicked and managed to rip Edward's wrist open with his teeth. He had growled and hissed and insulted and threatened . And as weak as he had been in his current state he had almost managed to break free a few times.
Forcing him to feed had been near impossible for he kept spitting it out and snarling profanities left and right. Biting the hands that came too close and ripping skin off with his fangs.
But Carlisle hadn't let that deter him for he was a doctor and their father and it was his job to help his son.
At the end The Major had been too weak to keep up fighting and Carlisle had managed to force him into swallowing the venom. There had been no recognition at all in that hateful glare that promised things worse than death.
Now five hours later he still laid in the same position from earlier. Curled on his side and with his breathing ragged.
His skin had healed around a 30% but the scars on his ankles were still twice as black as his burnt skin. Raw and almost too much to look at.
Drinking some blood would aid him into speeding up the healing.
He left the glass on the nightstand before grabbing his arm. His skin burnt to the touch and Carlisle hated the sole idea of even having to touch him when he knew that were he awake he would be in tremendous pain with each touch.
But he had to do this.
It was his job to keep his children safe.
So he got him on his back. Careful as he did so.
He then grabbed the glass and poured a bit on his hand. The last thing he wanted was to choke him in case he was to refuse the blood.
And if that happened Carlisle wasn't sure what he would do.
Thank God he didn't had to wonder for too long for the moment the first drop of blood touched his lips the moment Jasper's eyes flickered open. Pitch black and stained in absolute agony, a pained moan filled the room as he tried to bite Carlisle's hand.
Yet.
Carlisle of course didn't let him. He helped him into a sitting position despite this one's protests against it before grabbing the glass from the nightstand.
-Don't bite it. You're gonna spill it everywhere.- Carlisle instructed sternly as the boy went to bite the glass, he ended up having to hold his jaw to keep him from breaking the glass.
And despite the situation he was rather amazed of how quick he drained the glass.
Carlisle thought Jasper would want more all things considered but he didn't attempt to even lick the glass. All he did was pull back and keep his head bowed. His breathing was heavy and he could almost feel his pain prickling at his skin threatening to merge with Carlisle's own emotions.
He focused on the the comfort he wanted him to feel. Calm. Love. Helping him back on his side as he left the glass on the nightstand. He whimpered at the movement shifting into a half curled position. His movements tense and almost shaky as he did so.
And a few moments later his eyes were fluttering shut and his muscles relaxed. He had passed out again.
Carlisle at least felt grateful that he was able to feed now.
It would help him heal faster.
~~~~~~~~
Alice stared into space as she sat on the couch. Her head resting on her hand. She was still attempting to get rid of the storm in her chest that Jasper's apologies and The Major's threats had unleashed.
She had craved for nothing but to go upstairs and stop their suffering. But she had known better than let her instincts win.
He was hurt.
Carlisle wasn't hurting him. Edward wasn't hurting him. Emmett wasn't hurting. They were trying to help.
She hoped this didn't make The Major back down from his previous thoughts. That wouldn't be favorable. He never failed to look for an excuse to tear to shreds his growing fondness towards the Cullens.
He was... such a stubborn and complicated being.
The Major... He was as dangerous as he could be protective. But even when he was being protective the danger could be felt all over the place.
Sometimes he felt like a predator waiting to pounce at the slightest of chance. Like the whispers that would yank you into the shadows. Pull you down and down into a sea of thick desperation until you were suffocating and fighting to claw your way out, but clawing out would do nothing but push you down further and further until you sank completely.
But he also felt like an endlessly powerful and loyal guardian. He felt like the moon bathing in comforting light the walls of a haunted town at night. Like a warm and dark cave in the middle of winter.
He was an absolute enigma that she would never be able to decipher.
His actions and words stuck in the same pattern. He couldn't make up his mind if he wanted to hurt or protect those around him. Trust. Never trust. Like. Not like. He would like and trust them one moment and then he would be wishing to kill them all the next.
Alice sometimes wondered how did his mind work for him to switch such thoughts so quickly.
-So, The Major.- Emmett's voice pulled her out of her thoughts and she glanced at him. He looked... less excited than she had anticipated.
-What about him?- She asked feigning ignorance. She knew what he would ask. Knew what was on each mind if their faces were something to go for.
-Jasper said he was dead. That he had killed himself.- Emmett said.
-He was quite graphic about it.- Rosalie added. The implications of her words clear. Alice sighed as her gaze went back to staring at a tree outside.
-It's not my place to speak about what goes through his head. All I can say is that you are better off not knowing.
Much like she sometimes wished to not know.
To not have branded in her head the image of him pressing a stake to his chest. The anguish in his face. The tears. The emptiness. Defeat. Pain. Exhaustion.
It was the kind of look that left the viewer haunted.
And she knew Jasper still thought about it. She wasn't as naive as he liked to think.
But she also knew he wouldn't do it as long as she lived. The guilt wouldn't allow him to kill himself.
And she understood him, she truly did, someone who had suffered as much as he had was bound to bear scars that may never heal at all.
-Why didn't he say anything?- Even if Esme asked that she knew. He had had no reason at all to tell them.
Not when hatred and fear had been shown towards The Major since he first arrived.
And she had feared him.
But over all?
She had pitied him. Had felt bad that someone had had to go through what he did. She had been glad about his death for the single fact that it meant he would no longer suffer.
But he wasn't dead.
He was with them.
That same so called demon who had lost his humanity long ago had been living with them for over 70 years.
And as much as she knew she should feel anxious she couldn't.
The Major was Jor . Volatile and aggressive and awfully gentle Jor.
Jor who had grown obsessed over baking and cooking through the years. He who had brought a mountain lion's cub and attempted to hide it in Jasper's studio. He who would let toddler Renesmee feed him and roll all over the carpets with her. Dance to horrible cartoons because toddler Renesmee asked him to and allow her to put makeup on him and cover him in glitter. He who was found out as being Renesmee's personal candy dealer and would carry her around on his shoulders at any given chance. Call her his little star and take her hunting.
How was she suppose to match the mass murderer with no humanity left with Jor?
Her problematic but oh so gentle Jor?
He who would treat all around him with the utmost care when he wasn't in one of his moods? He who would pet deer and catch squirrels and rabbits for the fun of it. Wrestle a bear all so he could leave it unconcious and squish its giant paws as if dealing with a dog? He was obsessed over turtles and animals and chocolate and how could he have no humanity left when he could be so awfully tender at times?
Yeah. His last explosive behavior left a lot to be desired but at the end it had been nothing but a reaction driven by fear. Fear .
The Major...
He had protected Jasper. Killed Maria. He was a flayed soul who had known nothing but pain all his life. Who had to hear their horrible comments about him despite how well they treated Jasper.
Of course he would develop resentment towards them. Mistrust. Dislike. Never grow to like them 100%. Never change his attitude.
He was protecting both Jasper and himself.
She can still remember when he asked her what she thought about The Major. He had looked so pained at first. And then he had looked so sad yet so hopeful.
She had told him she was glad he was dead.
How horrible it must have been for him to hear people being glad over his death? That he deserved to be dead. Beast. Monster. Assassin.
No wonder Jasper got so upset.
-I told him to tell you, he was going to tell you, but at the end he couldn't actually bring himself to.
Those words enlightened both Esme and Carlisle.
"I'm a monster but he's worse, so much worse, and I hate the fact that even now I can't tell you the truth."
"Alice told me that it was time for the lies to end, and I thought I could tell you, but turns out I can't. Even if I know it would be safer that way I can't bring myself to tell you."
"But I don't want you to know, I can't let you know. Because if you know, everythin' will come apart and that's somethin' I don't want to happen. But it's selfish to keep you in the dark any longer, dangerous, stupid."
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."
"Please don't leave me. Even if you were to somehow find out about it please don't send me away. I promise I'll keep him away from now on, you won't see him ever again, I swear. But please don't send me away."
Ah.
So that's what all of that had been about.
He was scared.
Scared that he would be kicked out over something he had no control over.
And Carlisle suddenly hated how he had gone and been fine over Jasper deciding to lock his alter away.
Jor.
The Major.
-He's not bad. He's just... complicated. You have interacted with him before. You know he can be civil when he wants to.
Alice did had a point.
That didn't mean it wasn't unsettling in a sense.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Heat.
That's the first thing Jasper noticed. Excruciating heat that boiled his insides. Molten. Lava. Fire. Boiling water. Fire. Fire. Fire. His head was buzzing. Ringing. Ears ringing. A pressure threatening to split his skull apart. Brain explode. Combustion. Fire.
And someone was talking. Far. Far. Too far. Echo. He couldn't focus past the blurriness in his head. Fog. Cloud. Stuffed. Tight. Tight. Tight. Knot. Sweat trickling down his temple. Acid. Stung. The light stabbed at him when he tried blinking past the darkness. Fog. Cloud. The air was thick. Too thick. Unbreathable. Was that even a word? Ugh. The pain was all consuming. Pain? Wasn't it heat?
An iced hand rested on his forehead and he flinched. Swatting it back as a sound stuck at the back of his throat. He couldn't blink. Breathe. His insides were on fire. Each tendril being ripped apart before being licked and sewn back together with acid and lava. Blazing red. Nuclear. Atomic. Fire.
It reminded him of that night.
But worse.
Because this time the world was blurred. Like being underwater and all that ever made sense was getting further and further. He was sinking down and down and down until he was suffocating. Burning alive. Flames licking his bones until he could do nothing but fight in a failed attempt at breaking out through the surface of the ocean. An ocean made out of darkness and such intense lava it's melting the skin off his bones.
Hands cold as ice are grabbing him. Holding him down.
"You belong to me now."
Whose voice was that? Woman. Female. Dangerous. It made panic seize his chest, for what reasons? He couldn't tell. He didn't care. That voice meant trouble. Pain. Fear. Loneliness. Anger.
He kicked and fought the hands of ice. Going as far as sinking his teeth into the flesh of ice. It tasted like ashes and death. His fingers gripped so hard he felt skin give in beneath it. Breaking like glass. Marble. Crack.
A hand rested on the back of his head and he tightened his grip on the ice. The Major roared at the back of his head and a growl rumbled from the depths of his core.
"You are mine. Your job is to do as told. No questions asked."
He bit harder.
That voice was dangerous. He had to leave. Run. Hide. Hide before she came. There was laughter. Pain. Fear. Loneliness. Coldness. Darkness. Traitor. Traitor. Weak. Anger.
"I hope you survive."
The ice was enveloping him. Ice. Death. Danger. Blood. Death. Deceased. Demon . He broke free from the hold as fire seized his veins and as he pounced for the whispers of light the sun set the world ablaze from his insides up to his outside. He landed on the ground and bolted. He ran and ran until he could no longer hear or smell the dead.
The world was spinning and spinning and before he knew it he was crashing on the ground as he stumbled. He rolled and rolled and as his head connected with something a ringing blasted across his eardrums. Numb. Pain. Ring. Ring. Ring. Metal was thick in his mouth. Chest tight. Tight. It constricted until he could do nothing but gasp for air. Coughing and rolling on the ground. Spitting the acid taste in his mouth out.
Fire crawled up his throat. Vomit.
This time the fire rather than subsidizing increased as he threw up with more desperation. His body refusing to give him a break, his fingers dug on the dirt as the fire blazed and blazed until he was seeing white. The fire beneath his skin became so bad at some point he began clawing at himself in a desperate attempt to get the fire out. Something trailed down his cheeks . It wouldn't stop . Fire firefirefirefirefirefire.
God Damn FIRE .
Arms grabbed him and he screamed. Bones cracked beneath his skin as his instincts flared with the overwhelming need to shapeshift and escape the hold.
But of course he failed at it.
It was too much.
And then the world went black.
~~~~~~~~~~~
The Major blinked to a world too bright for his liking. Arms touching. Caging him. Fire blazing beneath his skin and it took him more than he was willing to admit to keep himself from lashing out. Fingers curling into fists and jaw tight.
-Jor.- Edward's voice caught his attention and he looked up meeting the mind reader's gaze. The arms around him grew lax for a moment before disappearing. He glared at the coven leader as this one came from behind him. Standing up was quite a feat but he was nothing if not stubborn.
The fire in his ankles almost sent him kneeling but he didn't bend to it. That until he had to take an actual step.
His leg did give in at that and he swatted at the hand that reached for him. Hissing and glaring up at the coven leader. He felt like he was burning in the inside. Like whatever that was left alive in him was agonizing to death. He didn't want anyone anywhere near him.
-We won't hurt you.- Edward's words got him a glare and a snarl.
-Liar!
He pounced at Carlisle and took a swing at him. Carlisle dodged just in time to avoid his throat from being ripped out. It wouldn't kill him but it would be problematic.
Jor spun around and hissed at him. The hatred in the air was thick and near suffocating.
He would have pounced again if Alice hadn't appeared right infront of him. Successfully halting his attack. He growled at her but she didn't bend to it.
-I got this, leave.- She told throwing Carlisle and Edward a look. Even if she assured them of this The Major leveled her with a far from happy look.
-Alice-
-I will be fine. You go back home.- Alice cut off giving Edward a pointed look.
"He won't hurt me regardless of what it may look like. I promise. You will just agitate him more"
Edward nor Carlisle looked convinced but nodded at Alice.
Once Carlisle and Edward were gone Alice turned to The Major who glared even more at her.
-Don't look at me like that. It had to be done. He would have died at that rate, they were just trying to help you.- Alice told knowing full well why was he so mad.
Her answer was a growl.
-You know I'm right. Your body needed blood, it pained Carlisle greatly to cause you so much pain.
The Major didn't answer. He was glaring at the ground now. Fingers curling into fists and air thick with his anger.
-They would never hurt you or Jazz on purpose, do you truly believe I would allow it?
-... 'm sorry.- The Major ended up yielding, shoulders growing lax.
- Come on, let's go home.- Alice said offering her hand to him. He looked at it for a moment before taking it.
Good.
One crisis averted.