The house was rather quiet.
Rosalie was at the garage working on her car. Edward and Emmett had left earlier on a hunting trip to Alaska.
Esme was rearranging the living room taking advantage of the absence of the troublemakers in order to do so.
Carlisle had left for work earlier.
Alice was laying on her stomach on the couch with her legs kicking in the air absently and a sketch book at hand. She was humming ever so slightly to a song Esme could have sworn she had heard but couldn't quite remember where or what was it about.
Jasper was at the roof.
Had been there since Emmett and Edward left. It was cloudy and the sky was holding an angry grey color, it would be raining soon and she hoped he didn't decide to soak up there.
Esme still worried over him. He was still so evasive with them even if he seemed to be warming up to Emmett. Ever since their odd game while raking leaves Jasper had gotten less evasive with Emmett.
Esme had to admit that seeing him like that had been beautiful. Such focus in his gaze. How his shoulders had lost their almost perpetual stiffness.
And then Emmett had tripped him. She had for a moment feared the worst.
But he hadn't attacked.
He had laid there looking so shocked and surprised.
And then he had muttered a word that had had no right to break her heart.
I'm fine.
The wonder and surprise in that single statement had saddened her. Because he had sounded so surprised.
As if he had been expecting Emmett to attack him or something.
He had also taken it to sit at the porch whenever she was working in the garden. And whenever she moved further he would sit closer and closer to the bottom of the stairs. Almost as if wanting to get closer to her but not wanting to actually get close.
She found it odd but endearing.
Esme hadn't missed how tense he still got when Carlisle was too close to him or how he had flinched when Emmett and Edward got into a fight and the wall was broken. Carlisle of course had come downstairs and the second Jasper had seen him the second he had tensed and stepped closer to Alice.
He had flinched when Carlisle had reached out for Edward and Emmett.
And while all Carlisle had done was get them to step away from the rubble that single flinch had broke Esme's heart.
Because it was clear what he had expected to happen and she couldn't help but sometimes wonder if his reactions towards Carlisle were related to the fact that in his eyes he was the leader.
And if so.
What did that said about his creator? He never spoke of her. How much she must have hurt that poor boy? Esme couldn't begin to imagine the amount of psychological trauma alone that woman and that environment must had put him through for him to think everyone was out to get him.
She just hoped that with time he would come to realize that in this house he would never come to harm.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Jasper stood on the roof with his stance rigid and his hands clasped tightly behind his back.
This situation was odd and a test without a doubt. Nothing had been said but he knew what was expected of him and so he would make sure to meet those expectatives.
Carlisle was at work and Emmett and Edward wouldn't return until midnight so that left him in charge of protecting both the house and its inhabitants until the return of the coven leader.
Alice had said that it wasn't a test but he begged to differ.
Esme was important to Carlisle and he would never leave her defenseless. He had trusted him to protect her and so that he would do. Alice could protect herself but that didn't mean Jasper wouldn't slaughter whoever dared to look at her the wrong way.
And Rosalie...
She was Emmett's mate and he liked Emmett.
Therefore he was also bound to protect her too because even if she didn't like him and he didn't stand her it was in his nature to protect those who he had been entrusted with.
Even if the one he was meant to protect put him on edge.
Plus. In a sense she was meant to be his sister like it or not.
Thus he would protect her with the same ferocity he would protect Charlotte who once upon a time had hated him with unforgiving passion. Resented him for stealing Peter. He had found it amusing to be seen as a threat.
Peter was his friend and brother. The one thing that had kept him sane for a long time. His mantle of comfort and quiet. Their relationship was never a romantic one but in that hell their only comfort had been each other's presence.
A few kisses and handful hours of holding each other may have been exchanged but it was never romantic.
Just a desperate urge to get affection from someone who actually gave a damn. Something real.
Charlotte at least had grown to understand that she had nothing to be concerned or jealous about, though Alice may have had something to do with it.
If he had a mate then that meant Charlotte could be at peace. He wouldn't snatch Peter from her.
As if he had wanted to do so in the first place. Part of him had resented Peter for abandoning him in that hell over a newborn he hadn't known for nothing but a few months but that hadn't lasted long.
He had missed him too much to resent or even hate him.
And when he came back for him... He had seen how he was with Charlotte. Had felt their love.
It had been as overwhelming as it had been beautiful.
He didn't regret letting them go and he would do so again even knowing what Maria would do.
Because Peter deserved the happiness he had gotten with Charlotte. And he was happy for them.
His thoughts came crashing down the second a scent hit him. No. Four.
Vampires.
Unknown .
His back straightened and he left the roof. Landing on the porch at the same time Alice stepped out in time to grab his arm before he could think about attacking. He bit back the urge to growl at her.
-It's fine.- Alice assured but his attention was on nothing but the forest. Shoulders tense and adrenaline kicking in as the scents grew closer. Four. Four . Foreign. Nomads. Danger.
-Nomads aren't a strange occurrence. Sometimes they are just curious to know why are there so many vampires in one place.- Voiced out Esme hoping that that would serve to calm Jasper who looked like he was one second from hunting down and slaughtering the incoming vampires.
Her words didn't seem to appease him at all.
And soon the four vampires emerged from the forest.
Three males and one female.
Jasper could feel their emotions. Wariness and curiosity being the dominant emotions.
And as their gazes met he was able to feel the flicker of intense fear wash over him as the female along with the blonde male took a step back.
That did nothing but make him take a step forward with a low growl. Alice's grip tightened on his arm.
-You came, you saw, now do please fuck off. We don't like having random vampires hunting around.- Rosalie snapped taking a step forward and straightening her back. Glaring at the nomads with all the disdain she could muster.
Esme had to bite back the urge to scold her daughter for such rudeness.
-We were just curious, we didn't knew this territory was taken, we are sorry.- The male with blonde hair was tugging on the arm of the brunnete girl at his side who complied at the clear retreat of her mate. Scared but alert and tense.
The male with white hair didn't follow for he was looking rather anxious at the ginger male who didn't move.
-Thomas, let's go.- The albino called tugging on the arm of the ginger vampire whose stare was settled upon the house.
-You go. I'm not leaving.- The man, Thomas , claimed, Jasper tensed as the flicker of lust crossed the man's emotions and his gaze fell behind him where he knew Rosalie stood at.- Look at that beauty.
Out of reflex Jasper shielded Rosalie, letting out a warning growl. His iced stare holding the crimson gaze. He was itching for the guy to take one step, just one more so he could tear him apart.
He could feel his blood burning. The adrenaline making his insides itch with a familiar urge.
Kill.
Get rid of the threat before this one can cause damage.
-Leave. Now .- Alice's order sent a shiver down his spine and the overwhelming urge to make them leave once and for all almost managed to break his control.
The albino grew even more anxious as he kept tugging on Thomas' arm.
-Thomas, please, let's just leave.
-You leave.- Freckles snapped as he freed his arm from the albino.- If not the blonde I could go for the other one, she doesn't look that bad.
Esme tensed and the fear in her emotions made rage bloom deep within Jasper and he pulled his lips back in a feral snarl.
-Fine, you keep those two. The small one does look pretty enough.
The lust as he looked at Alice made each and every single atom in Jasper's body ignite in absolute rage and he couldn't help the guttural near roar that tore out of his throat.
Then the man took a step forward.
He broke free from Alice's hold and was bringing the nomad down in a blink. Slamming him against the ground and tearing his arms off before diving down to rip his throat out with his teeth.
An horrified sound came from the albino as he stumbled back before attempting to make a run for it.
Jasper didn't let him.
He tackled the nomad from behind with unforgiving force, feeling rather pleased as the sound of bone breaking reached his ears. He crushed him with unadulterated horror as he brought his hands around his throat.
-No! No please-!
He snapped his neck and tore the head off in one smooth move.
The other two were close. He could smell them. Escaping. No one could escape. Threats couldn't be allowed to escape.
•Mercy is a weakness Jasper. Get rid of it.•
He got up with all the intent of hunting down and slaughtering the other two but then Alice was there, throwing her arms around him. Her arms locking around his waist in an unyielding grip.
-They are gone, Jazz, leave them be.- Alice requested with her voice soft but firm. He growled at her and tried to break her hold on him. But she didn't give in.
And she was oozing such amount of love and calm he ended up giving in to it, yielding to her emotions and melting into her hold. His arms wrapping around her as he felt his shoulders lose tension.
He peeled his gaze off the forest and looked down at her. And as her hand came to rest on his cheek he couldn't help but lean into the touch. His own hand coming to rest on top of hers.
And while her gratitude at him for yielding to her was great he still couldn't help but hate the fact that he let those two go.
Still.
He could feel pride coming off Alice. Pride for him and that was what ended up getting rid of the remaining heat in his chest.
The fact that he let a threat go didn't settle well with him but Alice's love and pride were bigger.
Alice was safe.
That's all that mattered.
All he cared about.
~~~~~~~~~~
Esme had known Jasper wasn't a common vampire. That as someone whose upbringing was at the South he was bound to have... certain skills.
But he had been so docile and quiet she had forgot he was one of the most lethal of their specie. One who could become very dangerous if provoked.
She hadn't been able to see him as nothing but a kind hearted boy who would never do something wrong in his life.
So hearing such menacing sound from her sweet boy and seeing him kill those two nomads so easily and fast had felt rather shocking.
Still.
He didn't calm down even after the threat was taken care of. In fact. He had seemed to have in mind hunting down the other two.
As if killing the one who had plead wasn't disturbing enough.
But Alice had stopped him.
It amazed her to see how quick Alice was to snap him out of that trance despite his growling. The way he melted into her embrace and the way he looked at her... There was something about their bond that looked so much more deep and beautiful than anything she had ever seen.
It almost looked as if all they needed in order to communicate with each other was a single look or touch.
Esme found it as fascinating as she found it endearing.
~~~~~~~~~~
Rosalie wasn't sure what she had been expecting but Jasper protecting her wasn't it, much less after their argument from two days ago.
But he had still done it.
Even so, the way he killed those nomads, so quick, no mercy whatsoever.
She was right.
He was dangerous.
~~~~~~~~~~
Jasper sat on a log hugging his legs and staring into the distance. There was thunder clapping above and he could almost taste the rain as the wind picked up. A storm was coming.
He had chose to take a walk after the whole ordeal with the nomads and while part of him had wanted to track the other two down and finish the job another part of him knew that doing so would do nothing but upset Alice.
So he had tried to burn off that annoying feeling by hunting. Alice knew when he needed some time alone so she hadn't offered to go with him.
He hated this feeling of weakness and failure. That perpetual anger that never quelled.
And he hated that Alice's emotions and words proved nothing but a temporal relief to those feelings rather than a permanent one.
He wished his control was better so she wouldn't have to be worried over him all the time.
•Those who hesitate are the ones who die first.•
He swallowed past the venom in his throat as those words hammered against his mind. Fingers gripping his wrist and shoulders drawn closer as he dropped his head on his knees. Fingers digging into his skin sending jolts of pain that numbed some of the incoming whispers.
Thunder roared above and he flinched as it came with flashes of newborns colliding with each other. Growling and snarling.
His throat closed up and he shook his head as the images blurred. The pain coming from his wrist serving to brush the unwanted thoughts away.
He can still taste the venom from that nomad. Feel the heat of the flames as it consumed their bodies.
He hugged himself tighter and wished for Alice to be here and hold him. He wanted to be alone but he also wanted her to hold him. The contradictions of it frustrated him to no end.
More thunder cracked above him and he buried his face deeper between his knees. Arms tightening their embrace on his legs. If he became smaller he could disappear. Smaller so the sounds won't reach him.
He stiffened when he heard the crunching of leaves and felt the familiar signature of Carlisle's emotions.
Still.
He tried to not react to it. Was he mad? Alice did said once that the Cullens never killed unless proven strictly necessary.
What did that even mean?
He was calm though so Jasper wanted to believe that was a good sign.
Not that that lessened the fear in him at the idea of being alone with Carlisle. He uncurled from his position in order to at least acknowledge his presence. Head dropped and shoulders tense.
Even if he kept his head down he followed Carlisle's shoes and each step like a hawk.
He tried to not flinch when Carlisle chose to sit at his side. Not touching but too close for comfort and he had to bit down the incoming growl. Instead, his fingers curled into fists on his lap.
-Esme told me what happened. Thank you.- Carlisle's honesty was pure and absolute. His voice grateful and his tone gentle.
-I did what I had to.
Lie .
He let the other two escape is what he did.
How was that protecting?
The threat could come back for revenge.
•Never leave survivors.•
-I'm grateful that you kept them safe Jasper, but that doesn't mean I'm okay with you choosing to kill them. Violence is not something I condone in this family, much less taking lives.- Carlisle told making sure to keep his tone firm but devoid of anger.
When Esme told him what had happened he hadn't been sure on how to feel. For one part he was grateful that Jasper had protected them but on the other hand the idea that his first instinct had been to kill that nomad at the slightest provocation alarmed him.
For what he was told he managed to take them down in nothing but a few seconds.
Them .
Because he had also gone against another nomad who had wanted nothing but to make a run for it.
And not content with that he had attempted to hunt down the other two who had left the second Rosalie had told them to.
Grateful or not, killing wasn't something he could tolerate.
Much less if the person had plead for their life.
Yes. Esme told him the trigger was the nomad claiming he would have Alice and while Carlisle understood the natural instinct of a vampire to protect their mate that didn't excuse his behavior.
-I apologize sir.
He was apologizing but Carlisle could tell he didn't regret doing what he had done. He was apologizing because that's what Carlisle wanted.
Meanwhile Jasper wanted to ask him.
Ask why did Carlisle let them go, why not kill the threat immediately? Why risk them being a nuisance in the future?
But he knew better than to question a coven leader about these sort of opinions. It was too important. A rule if Alice's words were something to go for. Questioning the rules had never led him to good situations.
But God he needed to know.
-Jasper, you kept them safe and that's great. I understand these sort of situations can be upsetting but it's never good to respond to them with violence. That leads nowhere and solves nothing. All I ask of you is to not recur to violence so quickly in the future.- Carlisle told hoping to convey his point of view.
Carlisle could understand his desire to respond with violence seeing that that was the environment he was subjected to. But he couldn't allow him to keep up those ideals.
Both because he didn't want him killing people and because it could be dangerous. He could end up chasing someone dangerous one day and get hurt in the act. Or worse.
And Carlisle didn't want him to put himself in danger like that. His job was to keep his family safe, even from themselves.
Jasper for his side didn't answer.
Carlisle's words were wrong in a lot of levels. Of course violence solved things. It forced others to respect and fear you and prevented things like this from happening.
But he wasn't about to say that out loud.
Carlisle was... weird. It unnerved him to no end to know this man was the same vampire Alice had spoke so much about.
A great man who was as kind as he was fair.
Weak .
How could this be a coven leader was beyond him.
-I won't do it again then.
Lie .
He would kill whoever came close to his Alice and Esme.
But Carlisle didn't need to know that.
Thus he pushed relief towards the man. If he was relieved he wouldn't keep up pushing. Would be satisfied with his answer.
Maria would've had his skin for using his gift on her but Carlisle was too new to this knowledge to be able to realize he was being manipulated.
He couldn't get mad over something he didn't knew.
-We should head back. It will be raining soon.- Carlisle said after deciding that that was the best he would get from Jasper right now.
As he got up from the log he forgot who this was and offered his hand. That must have come out as him reaching out for him because next thing he knows Jasper is flinching back and growling at him.
Carlisle's quick to retreat his hand and before he can think about apologizing Jasper is already walking back to the house.
He watched him go feeling a pang of sadness. He wondered... Alice said he needed time but he wondered if Jasper would ever actually warm up to him.
Him and Emmett seemed to have begun forming a friendship of sorts and Carlisle had seen him sitting at the porch watching Esme so it was safe to say he was at least starting to warm up to the others.
But Jasper still avoided him. Would leave the room or get all tense if Carlisle was present. And for the most part he refused to meet his gaze. The emotions he got the most from him were either fear, anxiety, wariness or a sense of challenge.
Sometimes Jasper would look at him as if expecting something. What? He didn't knew. But something about it unnerved him.
It made him feel like he was missing something important.