The Cullens were not what I expected.
The doctor, Carlisle, was surprised to see us at his door, but with the mother, Esme, at his side, he welcomed us in quite easily. We were watched warily at first, no one knew quite what to expect from us. I could nearly taste the curiosity and confusion in the air it was so thick. I was frozen, rigid because they were new to me and I was new to them. How do you change almost a life time's training that tells you to be hostile when others want to offer you kindness? I felt awkward, unusual in their home. I was lucky enough that their house was located far enough away from society that I had no fear of going into a blood lust induced rage anytime soon. I merely tried to sit still in the chair they offered and let Alice do the talking.
And Alice sure could talk.
She wove a tale so intricate, so compelling that I had to fight to not be spellbound by her words. She was perched so easily on the edge of the couch beside me, her left hand resting comfortably on my lap. She'd swing her head to the side as she spoke, a very human action, and her hair would brush across my face and I would be overwhelmed by the scent of her, the scent of us. I knew she did it intentionally, trying to help me relax. In truth, she only helped me grow increasingly uncomfortable around the family we wanted to accept us because all I could remember was that little river and our stolen moment in the woods.
"So what do you think of all this Jasper?" Carlisle asked. I lifted my burnt orange eyes to his and kept my face blank. He lifted an eyebrow and smiled slowly. I could only imagine the thoughts in their minds about our sudden appearance. I sat in silence, contemplating what I wanted to say. I was afraid that anything I said could change their minds. Here I was, just a lone, confederate soldier without a penny to my name, showing up in their abode at the urgings of my unwed lover. I felt like a dirty speck in their clean living room. What could I say to summerize all that I felt? I opened my mouth to speak, but abruptly shut it. I had nothing to say.
"Maybe we could use a moment to collect our thoughts." Esme suggested smoothly, a warm smile on her face. Alice nodded her head and rose beside me. She slid her hand into mine and pulled me easily from the couch. I lifted her hand to my lips and pressed a kiss to it. She was a delightful little imp and she was all mine.
"Could I have a word Jasper?" The question came from the piano bench. Edward had sat there nearly the entire conversation, his hands carefully poised upon the keys as if he were going to play a delicate tune, but he never moved, just sat there. I turned my head to him with my eyes wide, what could he have to say? He rose from the piano bench and led me outside onto the back porch. I knew everyone inside could still hear us, but it was a nice image all the same.
"You're very hard on yourself." He said. The statement was so softly spoken, but so very opinionated. I blinked several times, just for the sake of it before giving him a queer look. "But I can understand feeling dirty in the living room, even I feel awkward in there at times. Esme has a strange fondness for white rooms." I stepped back in surprise. He echoed my thoughts so clearly that I wasn't sure what to think. Had I felt the expressions on my face? No, I would have surely remembered removing my blank face. Not much could shake it off.
"You're confused, I understand. I am a mindreader, it is my particular gift. Just as you can feel what others feel, I can hear what others think." I fought the urge to run. Instead, I lifted my chin and spoke in a quiet voice.
"I not only feel what others feel, I can make them feel what I want them to feel." My stance was stiff and professional, I felt like a soldier dressed up for inspection once again. I could almost hear the thud of boots against muddy ground, the whisper of uniforms as soldiers shifted in the rain. Abruptly, I was taken back to another time, another place.
Flashback
The rain was thick and heavy, an unusual experience for New Mexico. The normally dry, dusty ground was now a red mud that gripped at my boots and swallowed my footsteps completely. The ground was not only muddy, but also littered with the bodies of our victims. On a whim, Maria had gone into a rage and decided that she didn't want to just drink the blood of a human, she wanted to bathe the ground with their blood. Stepping daintily over puddles, Maria's little, black boots had a layer of clay and blood stuck to them. I gave a small smile and tried to hide it behind my hand. She saw however and growled her distaste. She gripped my shoulder to turn me to face her and her molten eyes met mine. Her hand ripped across my face, leaving four, neat slice marks on my right cheek.
"A gentleman never laughs at a lady Jasper Whitlock. Respect me, worship me, love me if you must, but never mock me." My heart lurched and I dropped to my knees in the middle of the pouring rain. My grey uniform was a complete wreck because of my groveling, but I could not insult my lover, my goddess.
"I ask your forgiveness Maria, I forget myself." Her eyes were hooded and she held out the hand she had sliced me open with. Her fingers had my blood on them, but I grasped her hand gently nonetheless and pressed a soft kiss to it.
"You'll be worthy of me yet lover." She said before patting my head like I was a dog. I lifted my red eyes to her and worshipped her with my gaze. My goddess was well pleased.
End flashback
I gasped for oxygen that I didn't need. The clouds delivered a slight drizzle to compliment the pink streaks on my cheeks. I furiously wiped the remnants of my vampiric tears away before straightening up again. I was a man and I could recover from this memory just like I did all the others. I wanted Alice at my side and she was there. I just had to think and there she was at my side, hands pressed against my cheeks so carefully.
"Jasper, are you alright?" She whispered her question, her eyes locked onto mine. I felt my firm resolve start to crumble and my body quaked the slightest bit. She pulled me into her arms and held me as close as she did that day in the river. "It'll be alright Jazz, I'm here." She pressed her lips against my forehead and I fought to not linger in her embrace.
"What in God's name did you do to my brother, Whitlock?" Rosalie, the blonde, was standing next to the fallen Edward with a vicious look in her eyes. I could only imagine that when she was allowed to experience wrath, her rage would be something ruthless and breath taking. The resemblance to Maria was frightening and I had to fight back the urge to revert back into my shell. The automatic response was to praise and grovel, but this was Rosalie, not Maria, and she was no goddess of mine. No one ruled over me, not even Alice.
"Edward, are you feeling ill?" Carlisle asked, stepping out onto the porch with us. He gently pushed Rosalie to the side to fully inspect the other man. Edward was rising from the ground however and looked no worse for wear.
"I'm fine Carlisle, Jasper just caught me off guard." He turned his amber gaze to me and I froze. If anything was bound to turn this family away, it was my horrendous past with Maria and the wars I lived in. "You had a hard life, but that we can forgive. Just, give me a little warning next time you decide to take a trip down memory lane."
I was shocked, flabberghasted, completely lost for words. He was not horrified by our blood bath, but dismissed it with the wave of a hand. I stumbled backwards and Alice was there behind me, a hand pressed to my lower back and a concerned look in her eyes. I recovered my composure however and fixed my blank expression on my face once again. Esme led us back into the house and to the couches again. I took my seat at Alice's side and watched Edward as he returned to the piano. He sat there like before, with his fingers poised as if to play, but no music flowed from the black polished beast, just a patience, as if he had all the time in the world to receive inspiration.
"So Jasper, now that you've had some time to collect your thoughts, how do you feel about becoming a member of our family?" Carlisle's question was expected and this time, I had an answer.
"With Alice at my side, I can see your family as being something I want to belong to." Esme smiled sweetly at my answer and rested a hand on my shoulder.
"You and Alice are more than welcome to join us here Jasper. Our family has more than enough room to include you two." She leaned over slowly, giving me time to recognize and accept her next move. She wrapped me in her arms and hugged me as a mother does her son. I was stiff at first, but I relaxed into her arms because she felt like home.
When she pulled away, I turned my gaze to Alice to find her smiling broadly. She leaned in and pressed a tender kiss to my lips. Her amber eyes met my dark orange ones and she brushed a lock of blond hair away from my forehead.
"This is home Jazz. This is the journey's end."
Truer words have never been spoken.
Fin
OoOoOoOoOoOo
(A/N) This is the end of A Chance Meeting, but there will be an epilogue of sorts that I'm messing around with. Sort of Jasper and Edward/Bella focused. Stick around and we'll find out what happens.