Surprise! Everyone (including my beta and pre-readers) was very curious about what Jasper saw when he went over to the Cullen house. So ... here's his POV.

Big thanks to Fran, Monica03, and Mr G and Me. (Any mistakes you see are you my own.)

SM owns everything Twilight.

Jasper POV-

My fingers drum against the steering wheel as my foot anxiously presses the gas. The car picks up speed, the gentle purr of the engine turning into a low growl the faster I push it.

It's a clear sign of the great work Dad and Rosalie have put into it. Once, what feels like forever ago, the two of them would disappear into the garage for hours. We would often find them huddled over engines or tinkering underneath the cars, bonding over their mutual love of vehicles—something my father shared as well.

They continued tinkering in his honor and memory, wanting to keep his love and passion alive.

Just the thought of my dad sends a pang of pain through my chest. There's not a day that goes by that I don't miss him or my mom.

I'm thankful for Uncle Charlie and Aunt Renee being there for Rosalie and me, and for loving us like their children. In some ways, they're a lot like Mom and Dad, though they can't be replaced and take away the sadness I feel for my own parents.

I miss the weeknight games Dad invented—from "seek the treasure" to "what ingredient did I add into Mom's cooking?" I miss watching sports, mimicking his posture, and taking a sip of my drink whenever he did, because, in my eyes, there was no one cooler. I miss doing puzzles, trying to place together the intricate pieces, and smothering a laugh whenever he cursed because he couldn't find the right one.

With Mom, I miss being her "helper bee" in the kitchen. Every night, I would help her cook dinner, beaming proudly when she would praise my quick help, but knowing at such a young age, I was anything but. I miss her nightly stories and how her face would light up or grow somber at what she read. It was almost like she made the emotions she read about real. I miss her soft singing whenever I was upset; I can practically hear her now, singing "You are my Sunshine" in her soothing voice, willing away the negative feelings coursing through me.

I hang on to the sound because I definitely need it.

Tonight has been a whirlwind of stress, anxiety, and worry.

From finding Jessica bleeding and broken in the haunted house, to Bella's attack, to seeing Alice so upset; it's been a nightmare and not the kind you should have on Halloween.

I can only hope that Jessica will be okay, but I heard that Carlisle immediately helped her. Due to his quick actions, I have no doubts she'll be okay.

Plus, he's a great doctor.

The rumors about Carlisle's abilities weren't exaggerated or embellished. After seeing how he was when Rosalie and Bella were attacked by Royce, I know he's the best doctor on the West Coast—and probably the world.

He's quick and smart, able to find the source of the injury and striking with precision to make it better as soon as possible. With Jess in his capable hands, I know she'll make it.

As for Bella … well, she's strong. I wouldn't have left her if I thought she wasn't going to be okay. Plus, with Rosalie there, I know she's in good hands.

It's Alice I need to check on. The distress and worry she was emitting were enough to bring me to my knees. I don't know what caused her to look so troubled, but I knew it wasn't anything good.

Even more worrying was the overwhelming need I had felt. I couldn't explain it, but I needed to go to her, to make her feel better and take away whatever was bothering her.

I'm still unsure of how to accomplish this, but I have to do something.

Even if all I can do is lend an ear.

My phone vibrates in my pocket, but I don't bother fishing it out. I know it's Rosalie, calling to bitch me out for leaving. She was adamant I stay away from the Cullen's house tonight, her eyes full of secrets she wouldn't reveal, no matter how hard I pressed.

She tried to play it off like I was seeing things, but she had forgotten that I know her as well as I know myself. I know she's hiding something; I could feel it seeping into my skin and settling into my bones like iron.

She wasn't fooling me, but still, she remained tight-lipped.

Which is why I had to leave.

Whatever is happening with the Cullens—with Alice—I should be there to help them in whatever way I can.

I know technically they don't need my help, just like I know they're not entirely who they say they are. Despite their normal appearances, they exude an otherworldly aura, one that screams dangerous and beautiful, all at the same time.

When I first saw them, I knew something wasn't quite right with them. My gut told me so; my instincts screamed at me to run as fast and far away from them as I could because they were dangerous, and not to be trusted.

Once I got to know them, though, I found they were anything but dangerous. They were kind and welcoming, embracing my quirks—like my love for horror and history—and never making me feel like a freak.

The only other people who didn't make me feel that way are Bella and Ben Cheney; while I do have other friends, they're not as easy going as my cousin and Ben.

With Emmett and Edward, I feel comfortable around them, as if I've known them my whole life, rather than a few short months.

Alice is a different story; I feel a connection with her, there's no denying it, no matter how badly it freaks me out.

It took me time to get to this point, but now that I'm here, I fear there's no going back.

At first, I wanted nothing to do with her. I will admit, I thought she was pretty and was bewitched by her ethereal looks, but that all faded fast when I caught the look on her face.

She looked relieved, as if she had been searching for me forever. The adoration, and dare I say it … look of love shining on her face was enough to send me reeling.

I had only seen that look on my parents' faces, and between Uncle Charlie and Aunt Renee, so I knew what it was, I just didn't understand why she was looking at me that way.

We didn't know each other, and I don't believe in love at first sight, so there was no reason for her to be gazing at me that way.

I'll admit, I did push her away. I wanted nothing to do with her and her intense stares, but once we were forced together—which couldn't have been a coincidence—I found she wasn't that bad to be around.

She's quirky, with a fiery, energetic personality that pulls me in, no matter how hard I try to fight it.

I'm starting to develop feelings for her, something I can no longer deny.

That's why I'm on my way to her now. Something is wrong, and I need to be there. Despite her small stature, I'm sure she's capable of protecting herself, but this overwhelming urge I feel to be near her and my friends is something I can't ignore.

I'm afraid if I do, I'll regret it later, and I couldn't live with myself if something happened to them—or Alice.

The driveway to the Cullen house is difficult to find in the dark, but I manage to locate it, only missing it twice.

The lights from the house are brightly lit, shining from every window on every floor; a kind of beacon for wayward travelers … or me.

Esme stands on the grass, wearing all black, her hair pulled in a messy updo, her fingers twisting together. Anxiety rolls from her in heavy waves, erasing all questions of why she's out there waiting for me, unless Rosalie warned her. I wouldn't put past her.

Hurrying from the car, my knees nearly buckle at the intense feeling of apprehension hanging heavily in the air. What had happened between leaving Port Angeles and now?

Was someone else hurt?

Was it Edward, Emmett, or Alice?

I swallow thickly against the thought, focusing on the song my mom used to sing; I wouldn't assume the worst, not yet.

"Is everyone okay? Alice? Edward and Emmett?" My voice is as rocky as my feet, which slip from under me as soon as I take a step.

In the blink of an eye, Esme is by my side, sliding a hand under my elbow to support my weight before I can utter a word.

My heart lodges in my throat at her sudden movement, my legs now shaking for an entirely different reason.

"How did you get over to me so fast?"

She shakes her head, practically carrying me up to the house. "There's no time to explain."

Escorting me into the living room, she helps me to the couch, her worried eyes drifting between me and the back of the house. Her hands jerk and twitch as if she's trying to be in two places at once.

"Whatever happens, whatever you hear, do not move from this couch, do you understand?" The look in her eyes is fierce and grave, her tone hardening by the time she's uttered the last word.

Before my eyes, her face hardens, and her eyes darken, her top lip curling in a slight snarl. Gone is the sweet maternal woman, and before me is a lethal warrior, one ready to battle.

But battle what? Or who?

"Jasper," she barks, her voice softening when I jump. "Tell me you understand. Please."

Shakily, I nod, and without waiting for another word, she literally blurs out of the room.

I blink once … twice … three times, because I'm sure I must be imagining things. There's no way that she pulled a Flash and left with inhuman speed.

There's just no way.

Of course, I have noticed the odd quirks the Cullens have; their cold skin, their strange eye color that goes from bright honey to dark onyx, and their peculiar eating habits. But I always figured it was due to a disorder of some kind.

After all, there's no such thing as the supernatural.

So what the hell just happened? Did I imagine seeing her move so fast? Has the stress from this evening finally gotten to me, and I'm hallucinating?

Loud, furious growls of an animal bleed through the walls, followed by the sound of a thunderous crack. I jump once more, falling hard onto the floor. A hiss escapes me as my elbow clips the coffee table on the way down. Gingerly, I rub it as I stand, counting my lucky stars Bella wasn't here to witness that.

She'd never let me forget it.

I remain frozen in the middle of the living room, hearing Esme's warning repeat in my head.

I was told to stay on the couch and not to move … but what if she needs help?

Uncle Charlie's warning about dangerous animals living in the woods comes to mind, and the Cullen house definitely qualifies as being in the woods. It's far enough from town to not have any neighbors for miles, not to mention the way it's hidden.

… Another odd thing about this family.

In the kitchen, I spot a large butcher knife resting next to a half-carved Jack O'Lantern, bits of pumpkin flesh dried on the blade. It's a good weapon for close proximity, something I'd rather not do if there's a bear or a wolf out there, but at least it's something.

I take half a step before I stop, rummaging through the cabinets for something to throw, allowing the knife to be plan B. I settle on a cup. Maybe if I can distract the animal, then Esme can get away.

Hurrying to the back door, I'm ready to throw open the door and toss the cup at the nearest animal, but what I see instead makes me stop.

There is a wolf outside; many of them, in fact. They're huge, bigger than the average wolves I've seen, possibly rivaling the size of a full-grown bear.

My heart roars in my ears, wondering how I'm going to get Esme out of there unscathed.

With their size, there's no way she can escape.

I need to call for help; Uncle Charlie will know what to do.

He has a lot of guns at the police station; there should be enough to get rid of these beasts.

I fumble for my phone, juggling the pathetic excuses for help in my trembling hands, searching for his number. When I glance back up to get an exact number, I note all the Cullens, plus two more, are there, standing beside these behemoth creatures in a loose circle as if they're not afraid.

The two new faces I instantly recognize from Port Angeles; they had been standing with Alice, Edward, and Emmett, worry, and concern etched in every look and action.

Who are these people? What is going on?

And why is Carlisle here? Shouldn't he be with Jessica?

My confusion mounts as I notice these animals aren't attacking them. In fact, everyone seems focused on something—or someone—in particular.

In the center of the circle stands a man with dreadlocks, his clothes torn, with deep scratches and gashes covering his crouched body. His hands are talons at his sides, his lips set in a snarl as he glances around, glaring when his gaze rests on someone as he looks for a way out.

My suspicions are confirmed when he makes a jump for an opening between the red-haired woman and the blond man, the former flying toward him, her nails scratching and tearing at his flesh, causing him to release an earsplitting combination of a howl and growl.

The woman cackles, holding up a piece of his arm in a taunting manner, flinging it behind her shoulder as if it were garbage.

Surprisingly, he doesn't bleed. Instead, a thick, clear substance leaks from the injury, pouring down his arm in slimy torrents.

My stomach rolls and I want to close my eyes, knowing something is happening here I should have no knowledge of, but I can't. My eyes are glued open, unable to look away.

The man in the center growls, the sound deadly; a clear warning that he's going to retaliate.

Everyone steps forward in unison, even the wolves; it's then that I see everyone has the same lethal expression on their face. Gone are the caring, normal expressions I'm used to seeing on them. Instead, it's one of a predator stalking its prey.

The wolves roar and growl, their massive paws digging into the earth as they fight the temptation to charge ahead.

Carlisle steps forward first, the unfamiliar blond man stepping up slightly behind, as if guarding him. Carlisle speaks, but whatever he says makes the man in the center laugh, his head thrown back in glee as he responds.

A furious snarl erupts from Carlisle's throat, his body coiling as he springs toward the man, hurdling himself at him as he moves in a blur, punching and tearing at the man's flesh.

He falls to the ground, one hand crossed over his stomach. He looks down at his wound but smiles when he looks back up, shaking his head as he says something more.

Whatever he says doesn't make anyone happy; one by one, they attack him at a dizzying speed, their movements indistinct and quick as they rip and tear at him. They step back once he stops moving, only to continue once it seems he's recovered.

Once more, my stomach rolls at seeing the manic expression on my friend's faces, especially on the Cullen elders … it's an image I can't coincide with what I know about them.

Especially Alice.

The man says something to her, his eyes drifting toward me.

I swallow thickly as all heads turn to me. The Cullens' eyes are black as the night around us, and the wolves' eyes are glowing but seemingly aware and knowledgeable.

Before I can comprehend what that means, Alice leaps through the air, landing a kick on his midsection, her hands clawing at his chest, ripping into him as if it's second nature.

Emmett steps up when the man collapses on the ground, unmoving. He carries a thrashing Alice over to Esme, who holds her against her side, brushing her hair back and placing kisses on her temple.

On the way back to his position, Emmett kicks the man in the back of his head, the resulting crack making me wince as it echoes into the night.

Several seconds pass in tense silence as everyone stands frozen, studious watching the man lying in the center.

In one swift movement, he's up and laughing, the sound booming. I startle backward in surprise, wondering how the hell he can move after the beating he had just endured.

His gaze cuts to Edward with a smirk, though I can clearly see his pain in the action. Seems he's not completely as unaffected as he appears.

Edward hurdles forward, jumping on his back in one swift, graceful move, his hands tearing at the man's throat. A growl emits, rattling the windows and causing a cold sweat to break out on the back of my neck.

Whatever is happening here has gone on long enough; I don't know what is going on or what he's done to deserve this, but it needs to end.

The items in my hands clatter noisily onto the floor, and I drop to my knees, scrambling to pick up my phone. Just beyond the glass is a symphony of snarls and movement. When I look up, I see the giant wolves are now getting their turn, stomping and biting at the man, who howls in pain but still attempts to fight them off.

The Cullen's stand back with a smirk, their faces inhuman and void of empathy.

I know without a doubt I need to get out of here because if I don't, I won't live past this night.

But first, this needs to be stopped.

With my phone in hand, I scroll to Uncle Charlie's number, though it takes me four times to highlight it, thanks to my shaking.

Just as I press send, I see him and Aunt Renee stroll into the backyard, the latter looking just as deadly at the others.

"Stop!" Aunt Renee calls. "He's mine."

Immediately, the wolves back off, and she steps forward, her attention only on the man in the middle. Carlisle steps up to Dad, nodding in my direction.

Uncle Charlie's gaze zeros in on me, his lips thinning as his face turns red. He nods once, reaching for Aunt Renee's hand and squeezing once, saying something to her, which she doesn't acknowledge.

It seems as if she's in a trace, the smile on her face neither friendly nor welcoming.

Uncle Charlie stalks across the yard, his heavy footfalls pounding on the wooden steps. He slams the door behind him, grabbing my arm in a tight grip that makes me gasp.

"What in the hell are you doing here, boy?" He yells, traces of spit flying from his lips. "What did I tell you? You don't leave the house!"

He's super pissed—angrier than I've ever seen him—but I can also see the worry and concern there too.

"What's happening out there?" I ask, my voice cracking.

"None of your concern, now come on. You've seen too much."

He steps in front of me, attempting to block my view, but he's unsuccessful. I have a few good inches on him and can still see everything happening in the yard.

Aunt Renee crouches low, her hands are drawn into claws, mimicking the Cullens perfectly. Her face is pulled into a snarl, looking nothing like the woman I consider my second mother.

Instead, she looks like everyone else.

A monster.

With a choked gasp, I watch with wide eyes as she flies through the air, landing on the man's shoulders. In one smooth and effortless move, she rips his head off, holding him by the hair.

Unable to suppress it any longer, I scream before blackness overcomes me.

Soft, concerned voices rouse me from my sleep.

Instantly, I'm suspicious, wondering what Bella and Rosalie are planning. This wouldn't be the first time the former hatched a scheme to prank me, so I need to be on guard.

The strange smell of smoke has me apprehensive, but with Rosalie here, there's no way she'll let her do anything stupid.

I keep my body still and breathing even, as to not alert her.

"Do you think he'll be okay, Charlie?"

"Before or after I beat his ass for coming here?" he replies, his words laced with anger, but they still hold an underlying tone of concern.

"Charlie," Aunt Renee scolds.

"What? He disobeyed Esme and me. He shouldn't have been here, and you know it."

Aunt Renee ignores him, directing her statement to someone else. "Carlisle?"

The one word sends everything rushing back.

… The savage attack on the strange man.

… The giant-ass wolves that helped them.

What's worse is that Aunt Renee killed him. She ripped his head clean off his shoulders, leaving no doubt about his fate.

Giving up my pretense, I scramble backward, falling over the couch and backing into the corner.

The Cullens look on, shocked at my reaction. Carlisle and Esme were nearest to me, along with Aunt Renee and Uncle Charlie, while Alice, Edward, and Emmett stand in the back with the two unfamiliar people that helped them.

"St-stay back," I warn.

"Jasper, calm down," Aunt Renee says soothingly, her hands in front of her in a surrendering position.

"You too! You're just like them! A monster!"

Hurt flashes across her face, but she doesn't make another move toward me. Instead, Uncle Charlie takes the lead, walking with slow and precise movements.

"Jasper, you need to listen to me, okay?"

I ignore him. How can I listen after everything I had seen?

"You're all monsters! You killed that man. Why?"

"He took a human life and broke our sacred law," the blond man replies. "He needed to be dealt with before serious consequences erupted."

"What are you talking about? You're speaking in riddles!"

Nonchalantly, he shrugs a shoulder. "We're vampires."

I gape as everyone turns to glare at him.

"James," Carlisle says, looking none too pleased.

Frustrated, the man identified as James, throws his hands up in the air. "Well, he's seen us in action. There's no denying it now! What were we going to say? We're superheroes?"

A panic-stricken laugh leaves me. "Vampires? There's no such thing!"

"It's true," Alice admits, her face drowning in sadness. "We're … vampires. We have been for a long time."

"No way. It's a thing of myths and legends—" I stop short, remembering all of the times Bella, Rosalie, and I would go to First Beach to hang out with Jake.

Billy, his father, would tell us legends of their people—great warriors that could change into wolves to protect their people from the cold ones—their natural enemy.

"Only, there was one family that we worked with us instead of against us," I remember Billy saying. "They were different from the others of their kind. They respected human life and protected it. Their diet showed in their gold eyes, for that is color of goodness."

Looking around, I see the gold eyes he was talking about.

How had I not put it together before? I listened to those stories every time we went but never paid them any attention. Only Bella had truly been absorbed in the tall tales, sketching out scenes from what she heard.

I stop short, wondering if Bella knows about this, but blow it off just as quickly. She would have told me.

Rose, on the other hand, is another story. Based on her secretive looks and her behavior tonight, she definitely knows.

"You can't serious, you can't be real," I repeat.

"We are real," Emmett counters. "I can show you!"

Much like Esme did earlier, he blurs around the room, and before I can comprehend what's happened, he's in front of me, grinning, though his usual friendly humor is no longer there. It's replaced with worry.

"Come on," he says, trying to remain jovial. "You're half of your sister; you got this. She's strong and so are you."

I scoff, shaking my head in disgust as he confirms my thoughts about Rosaile's knowledge of these ... things.

She and I are going to have a long talk later.

"Emmett, you idiot," Edward snaps. "Get over here."

"You're going to give him a heart attack," Alice agrees with a glare.

"Sorry," he mutters, zooming back to his previous position as if he never moved.

My breathing accelerates, and frantically, I shake my head, wondering how this is all possible.

"He's hysterical," the red-haired woman says. "You should slap him. I hear that helps."

"Victoria, enough," Carlisle snaps, silencing her with a look. "You and James are not helping."

She shrugs, unfazed by his reprimand, and continues to look on.

"Jasper," Uncle Charlie starts again, taking another step toward me. "Listen to me; it's all true; vampires are real."

"Wha—how?"

"We'll get into that later, but all you need to know is that he was the monster, not the Cullens, and certainly not Renee."

"You're in on this?" I ask a bark of astonished laughter, leaving me. "Of course you are. Your wife is a monster too. Did they turn her into this? They did, didn't they? Bastards! I'll kill you all!"

"Enough!" he booms. "I won't have you talk about my wife or my friends that way. For many years they've done a lot of good, not only for us but for this town. They're good people, son. Trust me on this."

"After what I've seen? No way in hell," I hiss.

"That man was the reason everyone was going missing and turning up dead. That man was the same person who attacked Bella and your mother. He nearly killed both of them! If it wasn't for Carlisle—" he trails off, his voice becoming choked with tears.

My own heart breaks for him, remembering the way he cried on Carlisle's shoulder.

Aunt Renee steps up to him, placing a hand on his shoulder and whispering in his ear. Whatever she tells him gives him comfort, and he composes himself.

"Carlisle saved her. If it weren't for him, she would be dead, Jasper."

I suppress a sob at the thought of losing another parent, but one look at the woman in question tells me I didn't. She's here … and a killer.

"But what she did—"

"I did that to protect my family. He attacked Bella and threatened my kids and husband; that's something I won't let it slide, and I won't apologize," she says, her eyes flashing dangerously.

"But killing you isn't crossing the line?" the woman called Victoria says with a snort. "I like it. Tiger Mama," she ends her statement with a cat-like roar and a wink, making Aunt Renee smile.

"Anyway," Carlisle says, wiping his hands on his pants in a very human-like way. It's startling to see such an ordinary gesture coming from him, especially after I had witnessed them all kill someone. "I take it you remember Billy's legends, yes?"

I nod, not trusting my voice. He smiles kindly, and still, it's hard to put together the ferocious look he had tonight, compared to what I normally see. They just don't fit.

If someone had told me what happened here, I would tell them to get a doctor, because there's no way these people could ever do something like that.

But now, I know the truth.

"What he said was true; we're not monsters, Jasper, although it is easy to come to that conclusion after what you had seen tonight, but we're really not. We're a family; we only want to live in peace, but Laurent—the man you saw—didn't. He only wanted to wreak havoc on this town. His entire purpose was to hurt, torment, and kill."

Remembering what Bella said earlier tonight, I have to ask, though, in my gut, I know the answer.

"Bella mentioned something about Lauren?"

The grim and saddened expressions from everyone confirms my thoughts. "Yes. She's gone. She was one of his many victims we were too late to save."

Sorrow is hefty in the room, nearly drowning me. Each person wears the same somber expression; their grief and anger clearly etched on their features.

The logical side of me wars with the illogical; if they are truly monsters, how can they feel things like sadness? How can they save people, as Carlisle does?

That doesn't make them monsters. It makes them good people, just like Uncle Charlie said.

However, memories of their actions immediately make me wonder if perhaps they're not just trying to confuse and distract me.

Reason and sense immediately leave me; of course, they are. I'm sure they'll come up any lie to excuse their behavior … after all, they're not human.

I'll do whatever I can to keep them away from my family and drive them out town until my last breath, in an effort to protect Bella and Rosalie.

I won't let them take another member of my family.

I'll find a way to end them first.

A little insight into Jasper and what he saw ... obviously, he's not taking it well. We'll see how's he coping (or not coping) in the next regular chapter.

I hope you enjoyed the outtake!

Oh, I forgot to ask this in the previous chapter ... how many of you are excited about Midnight Sun (finally!) being released? Or are you indifferent about it?

I'll see you soon! Stay safe!