a/n: fixed formatting. Peter's non gift belongs to Idreamofeddy.

Ch 3

"Uh, what?" I ask, stunned. This has to be a joke. I keep waiting for the punchline, but it isn't coming.

It actually explains a lot. A lot of things I haven't even registered. Like, how I could stand to be around her without eating her. Jessica doesn't smell like food; she smells like home. Texas and sunshine. My urge to go check on her only grows.

"Yep, definitely has it bad." Charlotte giggles almost challenging me to get past her curvy frame. It would be so easy to change Jess while she's sleeping. Peter's hand on my shoulder stopped me.

"It's not time, yet. You'll know when it is."

"How long have you known?" I ask through gritted teeth.

"Like I said, I didn't. I still don't, but look at the bigger picture. I sure as hell didn't want to go down south 6 years ago, but I did, and I saved that little girl that night, and then I bought the house next door to her, protecting her as each of her neighbors disappeared. I bank rolled her family's move to Forks. And you know why I was doing all that?" He asks. I shake my head.

"For you. Everytime I accomplished the tiniest thing to make Hellcat happy, my brain would say 'The Major will be pleased.' Why would pleasing you matter if you didn't matter?"

Jesus. It's a lot to digest. "I brought her here to make her happy," I argue weakly.

Peter shrugs. "You know, I'd do anything thing to make Char happy. Each of the Cullens would move mountains to make their mates happy. That's the point of being mated. To find someone to complement and complete you. Eternal love and happiness."

"Oh," I haven't been interpreting everyone's emotions accurately. But now I feel it, the tether drawing me towards the bedroom. I whimper.

I can tell Peter wants to laugh, but does a stellar job of holding it together. I'm positive though, that one day in the future, Peter will be telling this story for shits and giggles. Probably to Emmett.

We have a lot of catching up to do. As Jessica sleeps, Peter updates me with the activity he had witnessed down south.

"It started gradually, there was the newborn that had attacked Jessica of course, and then as the months wore on more would appear. We'd destroy those and then goddamn it if more didn't show up. It began to be too many to keep up with.

"She can't control them. Not like she'd been able to with you. She's getting desperate and it's making her sloppy, something big is coming and in a hurry." Peter explains gravely.

"The Volturi, I'm sure." Peter's unfamiliar with the Greeks from Italy, so I fill him in from what Carlisle had told me. "They have been known to exterminate entire covens if they feel threatened or risk exposure. They don't give second chances."

"That's some pretty dark shit." Charlotte says sounding tougher than she feels. It doesn't take a mind reader to know what they both were thinking.

"I'm not sure if these Volturi will come after us, too. I'm sure they've been investigating since the beginning. I only hope that they've noticed we have nothing in common with our past. They're human drinkers, too. So that's not their gripe." I continued.

"What is it then?" Peter questions.

"Talent. They collect talent. Gifted vampires make up their guard, before they destroy a coven, they harvest the most talented and make them loyal to the guard."

"Like you," Charlotte gasps. I nod.

"And Peter."

"Now wait a minute! I ain't gifted."

"Aro can read every thought or memory you've ever had just by touching you. He's far more powerful than Edward, Edward only being able to hear surface thoughts. If he touches any one of us, Cullens included, he'll know that you know shit."

"This is bullshit," Peter snaps.

I don't disagree.

Jess woke up about lunchtime on Saturday. I figured she'd be groggy, but she was her usual energetic self.

"There's a bathroom down the hall, and you can find something that fits in the dresser or closet," I called out. I was busy frying bacon, a food impossible to fuck up.

"She knows you don't eat." I murmured.

"She's perceptive, but still human. She knows something is off about us. She just can't see the whole picture."

It made sense. Vampires in her world meant Dracula types with coffins and wooden stakes, it would be hard to jump to the conclusion that we were blood drinkers. She'd be more apt to believe that we were altogether anorexic.

I drained the bacon on a stack of paper towels as I heard the shower shut of. I growled earning a look from Peter.

"Edward." I muttered. "He saw her naked. In one of Alice's visions. Probably saw her just now too."

"Get a grip, Major."

Any jealousy I had been feeling melted away as Jessica entered the kitchen. She was wearing one of my shirts with a pair of my boxers. Peter coughed from the living room. "Reign it in."

"Good morning," I greeted.

She gave me a look I couldn't decipher, before greeting me in return.

"Where are we?" She asked eating a piece of bacon.

"My brother's," I shrugged.

"You have another brother?" She asked feeling amused.

"And a sister." I nodded.

"Well, where are they? Or are we squatting?"

"The living room." I swallowed as she chewed. I hadn't taken my eyes off her, I didn't plan on it either.

"You don't blink much, do you?" She joked.

Fuck. At least I was breathing.

"Heh," I blinked rapidly.

That earned me another look.

It was easier when Jessica didn't ask questions.

"You're eyes are... honey colored. But now they're black. Like Pete and-"

My mate was a smart cookie. I followed as she ran to the living room. "CHAR!!"

She jumped into Charlotte's arms and wrapped her arms and legs around her. Peter hugged her from behind creating a tasty looking Jessica sandwich.

I could feel Jessica's delight as she peppered Charlotte with kisses while Peter nuzzled her mark. Of course I was jealous, but it was instinctual for Peter. Whether he admitted it or not, she would be his pet until I covered his mark with my own.

I was definitely going to be changing her. It was only a matter of when.

They finally released each other and I was pleasantly surprised when I received a hug of my own.

"Thank you, Jasper," she murmured against my chest. I was positive my dead heart would resume beating.

I basked in the glow of her love. It was a rare occasion when I'd feel it directed towards me. Reluctantly, I released her.

"Why don't we go to the kitchen so you can finish eating," Charlotte suggested.