Avery was forty-six when he died. Jasper was eight when that happened. He counts backward in his head to figure out that Avery was thirty-eight when he was born. That's much older than most fathers. He remembers a particular conversation between Avery and one of his friends. Avery told him that he and his wife struggled to have children and that Rosalie and Jasper were a blessing. It didn't mean much to Jasper then, but now he keeps replaying the conversation in his head.

If Avery struggled to become a father, then Jasper probably will struggle with it too. So it's unrealistic to expect Maria to be pregnant with his child. Jasper smiles and scoffs to himself, wondering how the doctor didn't figure this out first. He can't wait to go tell him and to finally have Maria out of his life for good.

He comes downstairs feeling the best that than he has since the day he was caught in the hotel room. The thought of being a single man, a single man with no kids, has lifted the weight on his shoulders. Strutting to the kitchen for whatever breakfast Esme has prepared, he's met with her and Carlisle at the table, each with a cup of coffee in front of them.

"Hey Esme, hey Carlisle," he greets. "What's for breakfast?"

"It's just cereal today, kiddo," Carlisle says. "Sit down, we have to talk."

"Let me eat first."

Carlisle shoots an agitated look at his wife, who simply rests her hand on his arm to keep him quiet. Besides, there's no reason to create any extra upset. She watches Jasper gather a bowl, spoon, the gallon of milk, and his favorite cereal. Carlisle softens his face as he follows his wife's gaze. Jasper is in just a pair of sweatpants, and his bony shoulders, narrow chest, and pale skin makes him look even more boyish than ever. Carlisle lets out a heavy sigh. It just makes the news even harder to break. Jasper sits at the table and prepares his simple meal.

"Once when Rosalie and I were little, my Daddy took us to Colorado in the winter," Jasper explains as her glances out the large sliding glass door. The snow is falling steadily outside. "He had friends that lived there and he wanted us to see snow. So we went up there and he tied a sled to the back of a four-wheeler and pulled Rose and me around for hours."

"You must have had fun," Esme tells him with a forced smile.

"Yeah, it was. When my mom moved us here to Washington, I begged her to let us bring Daddy's four-wheeler but she wouldn't do it. She sold it instead." Jasper sighs. "It would be cool to have one. Or a snowmobile. It sure would beat being cooped up inside all winter."

"Do you know how to drive those?" Carlisle asks.

"It's been a while, but I'm sure I could figure it out."

"Maybe we can look into getting one," Carlisle says, making Jasper's eyes light up.

"Seriously? You'd buy one?"

"I said we can look into it. Don't get your hopes up just yet." He reminds him. Jasper shrugs, keeping his smile. After all, today is a good day for him. And he's sure once Carlisle sees how much fun it would be, he'd have to get one.

"Rose and I always wanted a big four wheeler like my Dad's. We each had tiny ones that my Daddy bought to teach us to ride with." Jasper chatters in between bites of cereal. "I wanted a dirt bike but Mom wouldn't let me get one."

Esme gives Carlisle's hand a squeeze, her way of telling her husband to let their wayward foster child continue his happy chitchat. Carlisle gets her message loud and clear. He tries to listen to Jasper raving over his father, but the current news they have to break to him makes it difficult. He remembers being in a similar situation and how it quickly changed his entire life. He just hopes Jasper is enjoying these last few moments. The boy has already faced so much in his young life...

"Me and him always had a hard time tolerating the heat, so he would set up the sprinkler and our blowup pool and he and I would play in it all afternoon with popsicles and water guns." Jasper rattles on before shoving the last spoonful of cereal in his mouth and holding the bowl up to his lips to drink the last of his milk.

"He was a good father to you, and I am so glad you had that positive influence," Esme tells him with another forced smile. "Hold on tight to those memories."

He pushes his bowl away from him and tilts his head questioningly to Esme, wondering where the sentimental advice is coming from.

"Don't worry, I will. What did you want to talk about?"

The couple exchanges unwilling looks with each other before Carlisle takes a deep breath and forces out his words.

"Jasper, we talked to you about the in utero paternity test. Maria agreed to it." Carlisle starts to explain. Jasper smirks and leans back in his chair.

"There's no reason too. It ain't mine." He tells confidently.

"We cannot be sure of that without the test, honey," Esme pipes in.

"I know it ain't mine. My parents struggled to get pregnant with Rose and me. Rose was born when our Dad was thirty-six. He was thirty-eight when I was born. That stuffs hereditary." He tells them, then shrugs. "So the test is a waste of money. It's not mine."

"That's not always the case, Jasper." Esme dismisses his claim.

"It is for me."

"No, it isn't," Carlisle sucks in a deep breath as he watches Jasper and the smug look on his face. He remembers that teenage arrogance, that he's untouchable and has everything figured out. "We have the test results. The baby is yours."

This grabs Jasper's attention. He stares at Carlisle and waits for him to crack a smile and say he's just joking. He raises a brow at the couple, but there's no hint of teasing or laughing on either of their faces.

"You're fucking with me, aren't you?" He asks.

"We wouldn't joke about this, and you need to watch your mouth!" Carlisle jumps in to scold him.

"We are serious, Jasper." Esme intervenes in hopes of keeping her husband from losing his temper. "You're the father."

"Those tests can be wrong. You can get false positives." Jasper protests and shakes his head.

"Not with paternity tests. This is accurate. It's your baby." Carlisle insists.

Jasper drops his eyes to the tabletop as he takes in the news. It can't be true, he thinks to himself. No way, no how, not a chance. What will he do with a baby anyway? And a baby that is half of Maria? He just got over her. He just pushed her out of his mind. He just started to feel better.

"We are still talking to the lawyer to figure out what we can do, but no matter what happens Carlisle and I will be here for you, sweetheart," Esme promises.

"That's right." Carlisle agrees. "We both know how scary it is to be expecting a baby at your age, and we will help you in every way we can."

"We need your input on how this will be handled, though. What we were talking about doing is pushing your adoption through the courts as quickly as possible so you are guaranteed to stay in our home. That will make it easier for you to be a part of your baby's life." Esme explains.

Half-heartedly listening, Jasper is hit with a feeling of anxiousness that sends waves of tension through his body. His hands go clammy. His shoulders, his jaw, his fists, everything clenches tight as he tries to process this new information. It moves through his body and once it hits his stomach, he feels a sharp cramp as his stomach twists.

"This opens a new door of responsibilities for you, Jasper." Carlisle lectures. "Caring for a child is nothing to take lightly and-"

Before Carlisle can even finish his thought, Jasper jumps from the kitchen chair and makes a beeline for the tall kitchen garbage can before his cereal comes back up. Esme hurries to his side to hold his now-shorter hair back and offer any comfort she can. Carlisle grabs a cold bottle of water from the refrigerator, and when he turns back to offer it to the young boy hunched over his garbage can, wrenching and vomiting from the news, his worry only grows deeper. Jasper is a handful, he's definitely learned that since Jasper's first day in the house. He knows how to agitated and anger and push every button Carlisle has, and bucks against any rule Carlisle tries to put in place. He makes it difficult to form a bond, unlike his sister.

When Jasper finally stops gagging enough to take the bottle of water from Carlisle, he looks up at him with pitiful eyes and a string of vomit hanging from his chin. He doesn't even get the chance to wash his mouth out before he starts heaving again.

Carlisle lets out another heavy sigh. This baby changes everything, and he isn't sure if it's something this family can handle.