AN: Okay, I know this is a little short, but I felt it needed to be its own chapter. I want to thank everyone who's reading this for taking the time out to do so. I also want to thank everyone who has reviewed, favourited or alerted this story, it's wonderful to know that people are enjoying the story I'm creating.
Disclaimer: SM owns everything. Doesn't mean I can't borrow and play. =P
With a growl Peter leapt at me from across the clearing, in a second his hands had connected with my shoulders, knocking me backwards to the floor and pinning me there. I snapped at him once before he got off me and helped me stand up. "You need to pay attention Colonel." He said teasingly, pointing his finger at me which I snapped at playfully as if to bite it off. He was right I hadn't being paying the attention I should have been; instead my mind had found out a few new facts for me. The sapling off to my right had a hundred and thirty nine leaves, with fifty new ones budding. The square foot of ground in front of me contained three thousand and nine blades of grass and two dandelions. There was a cloud in the sky that looked like an elephant eating an oversized peanut. And so on. I had catalogued everything around me, except Peter.
This time Jasper stood in front of me. No, this wasn't the Jasper who just a couple of hours ago had made me scream out his name in pleasure. This was the Major, the God of War in all of his sadistic beauty. The hairs on the back of my neck stood a little eon end as his black eyes swept over me from his crouch. I dropped into a natural defensive crouch, all of my attention focused on the 'threat' in front of me. Once I was focused my muscles seemed to work of their own accord. Jasper feinted left then moved right, I had anticipated his action and we were still opposite one another. Instead of stepping back as he stepped forward I also took one forward. I watched as the muscles in his legs bunched up slightly, his whole weight shifting as he prepared to pounce. One ninetieth of a second late he sailed through the air towards me, I ducked to the side, grabbing his outstretched arm and spinning him so he landed on his back, I wasted no time and was perched on his chest as soon as he touched the earth, my teeth at his neck, growling.
"Fuck." Was the only sound I heard as my mind cleared the instinct to protect myself and I relaxed a little. Jasper wound his arms around my waist, pulling me to sit in his lap as he sat up, his eyes returning to their usual gold hue. I buried my face in his neck, surrounding myself with his scent. In all honesty I was a little afraid of what had happened. I hadn't thought about my actions, I just reacted; my body wasn't mine to control. Jasper tried to calm me with his words, but they didn't work, finally he resorted to his gift and I felt my grip on him relax, even though I had no idea when my arms had wrapped around his neck. Once we had both calmed down enough Jasper brought us both to stand, our family surrounded us, asking me questions about what had happened, but Jasper and Peter slunk off to one side, whispering low and fast together.
Charlotte nudged me when she caught me gaze."I guess you really are the Colonel." I frowned, confused. "The Major's never lost a fight B. Not even a play one." My eyes widened with this knowledge. I was the first person in over a hundred and fifty years to beat Major Jasper Whitlock in a fight. Fuck was definitely my word of choice.
Soon Jasper and Peter rejoined us, both of them looking a little shocked by the events but they managed to conceal it rather well for the most part. Soon everyone started breaking off into airs, taking the opportunity to learn some new tricks from Peter and Charlotte who had both fought alongside Jasper during the Southern Wars. Jasper however took my hand and silently led me into the forest. We walked for about ten minutes before he turned to look at me.
"I'm so proud of you Darlin'." He whispered wrapping me up in a hug and holding me tightly against him.
"Why?" I breathed.
"You won. I know Charlotte told you the significance of that." He pulled back, looking at me.
"Yeah, she did." I nodded, stepping away from him and looking up into the forest canopy.
"What's wrong Sugar?"
"I'm scared. I don't know how I did it. All I remember is like a déjà vu, and I just knew what you were going to do. I didn't think about it, it wasn't planned, it just happened."
"Why does that scare you?"
"What if it's only a newborn thing? What if I can't defend myself in a year?"
"Bella, no newborn should be able to do what you just did."
"So once again, I'm not normal." I sighed, starting to walk back towards our family, lost in thought about just how different a newborn I was. Sure I didn't want the crazy mood swings, or unquenchable thirst, but just once it would be nice to do something that every other newborn did. I barely made it four steps before I took a quick step to the left, Jasper sailed passed me, his arms moving to grab something just at the spot where I had previously been stood. He landed with a thud on his stomach and rolled over to look at me.
"Same thing?" He asked.
"No, no déjà vu, I just knew I had to move at that moment." I shrugged, offering my hand to help him up which he took, keeping hold of it even once he was back on his feet. Jasper said nothing more, simply leading me back to the clearing where apparently I was still a topic of conversation. Or more specifically the theories of my having a gift were a topic of conversation.
Edward and Carlisle were in the midst of a discussion as Jasper and I approached them, though Jasper didn't stick around, he went to go observe Peter and Charlotte who were conducting a training session with Esme, Rose, Emmett and Alice. "I always said she was observant."
"We don't know for sure Edward."
"What don't we know for sure, Dad?" I asked Carlisle. I had started calling him 'dad' a few days after I moved into the Cullen's house and it had just stuck through my change.
"Nothing dear." He said quickly. I arched my eyebrow in disbelief before looking at Edward. I widened my eyes imploringly and pouted just a little, I still knew how to make him crack. I gave myself a mental high-five as he sighed in defeat.
"I think your ability to beat Jasper has something to do with how observant you were as a human. The change just amplified it, so you'd be able to beat Major Macho over there just by watching him closely enough." Edward explained. Part of the explanation made sense, I had been an observant human, but I doubted that the change would simply make me even more so, not with the case of déjà vu I'd experienced, or my 'just knowing' when to move in the forest. I shook my head.
"I think you're going along the right lines, but there has to be more to it." I sighed, folding my arms across my chest. I didn't want to think about this anymore and so I was truly grateful when my bear of a brother called me over to fight him.
I stood facing Emmett, he was regarding me closely, possibly waiting for me to make the first move, but even as a newborn I had more patience than him, and I knew better than to start the fight. I'd let the lug come to me, and come he did. More nimbly than you'd expect from someone of Emmett's size and stature he ran across the space between us. Just as his arms reached out to grab me I jumped in the air, turning as I landed on his back and quickly had my teeth at his neck. "Gotcha." I giggled making him grunt in acknowledgement and disgruntlement.
"That's one freaky gift Bells." He grumbled giving me a one armed hug before I returned to Jaspers side.
"Déjà vu?" Jasper asked softly. I shook my head.
"I just know shit." I laughed softly glancing at Peter who smirked at me before playfully saluting.
"Come on Major, I need a break." I grinned at him tugging him after me as I started making my way back to the house.
"One hour forty two minutes." Alice called out after us; I simply waved a hand over my head to show I'd heard her.
One hour and forty one minutes and fifty six seconds later Jasper and I were sat in the living room as our family joined us. Alice was bouncing around happily, a sign which never bode well for me. Sure enough she turned the board around, and I just knew today would be as difficult as yesterday. Maybe more so.
"Today, Renee." Was all she needed to say as she handed me the pictures, my memories started flooding me.
