AN: Thanks for your responses to the last chapter, and I must say that I have borrowed LittleRin26's word for describing Maria. This chapter has more of the current storyline than the back story, so without further ado... Oh, but beware of the lemon.
Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight, but I own Tits McGee and would rip her throat out if Jasper were mine!

"Maria?" Was my articulate and highly rhetorical response, we all had vampire memory and hearing, Peter didn't need to repeat himself, and he knew that as he nodded at me. My grip on Jaspers hand had tightened without me realising it. Until he hissed in pain, making me release his hand quickly.

"What does that skank want?" Emmett chimed in from behind us.

"I don't know. She left a note though." Peter sighed, pulling a deep red envelope from his pocket and handing it to Jasper. I glanced at it as Jasper turned it over in his hands, on the front, in a neat scrawl were the words 'My Major', As I read it a low growl started in my throat, he was my Major, not hers. Not anymore.

"Stand down soldier." Jay chuckled at me before tucking the envelope into his jeans pocket without reading it and dropping his arm over my shoulder. "We'll see you in a little while. Keep this to yourselves."

Jasper led us through the trees to a clearing where the stream which led form the Cullens back lawn widened a little, looking more like a river. He fell onto the grass, reclining until he was sprawled out on the floor, looking completely at ease, something that was really bugging me.

"What's wrong Darlin'?"

"What's wrong? How about the fact your psycho ex left you a little note at our home? That enough?" I stomped down to the edge of the water. I heard him chuckle behind me, but he didn't move, letting me have my temper tantrum.

"She didn't leave it Sugar. It was a messenger." He sighed.

"So why did Peter say it was her?"

"Oh, it's definitely from her, but she didn't bring it." Like that made it any better. "When you've calmed down we'll read it together."

It took me about ten minutes to get control of my emotions, managing to fight down my unreasonable anger and frustration. I still wasn't happy with the idea of Jasper's little pen pal, but I was a lot calmer, and a hell of a lot more rational now.

"That's better." He smiled, sitting up and waving me over to him. Without thought I joined him on the ground, tucking myself into his side, basking in his scent. "Now, shall we?" I nodded silently as he tugged open the dark envelope and pulled out a crisp white sheet of paper with black typing on it.

It's time to return to the fold.

That was all it said. I looked to Jasper whose brow was furrowed with anger, but there was a look of resignation in his eyes. "Jay?" He turned to look at me.

"I need to talk to Peter." Was all he said as he got to his feet and left at a run, leaving me feeling confused and worried. I wanted to know what the hell that cryptic little message meant. In an instant I was following Jasper back towards the house, as soon as it was in sight however Charlotte blocked my path.

"Give the boys a few moments Colonel." She said softly, a slight smile on her lips, though even to me it seemed forced.

"I want to know what's going on." I said, forcing calmness into my voice. I glanced back at the house and saw Peter and Jasper talking quietly, but quickly, and in Spanish. I hated when they did that, I didn't know Spanish. As I spoke Peter looked over at me before turning his attention back to Jasper and pointing in my direction.

"Darlin'?" Jasper called from the deck, I looked at Charlotte who sighed but stepped out of my way. I was at my mates' side in an instant. Peter bowed his head at me sharply before leaping off the deck and walking into the forest with Charlotte.

"Jay?" He held up a finger, signalling he needed a moment. I waited, as patiently as I could, but frustration won out in my emotional battle.

"I know Sugar." He murmured. "I have to go to Mexico." He breathed out.

"What?"

"I have to go to Mexico and see Maria." He paused for a moment. "I'll come back as soon as I can."

"Wait. You think you're going to go and visit your crazy ass sire and leave me here knitting or something? Think again Major."

"Bella." He sighed in exasperation. "It's going to be dangerous." He was not helping his case for leaving me behind at all. "I don't want to have to worry about you getting yourself into a bad situation." And in that instant I saw red.

"I'm not a fucking human anymore Jasper. I don't need you protecting me from the world and all the big bad vampires it holds. I can take care of myself! In case you'd forgotten I have this nifty little power that keeps me out of harm's way!" I poked his chest with my pointer finger, hard. "So don't you dare think that I'm going to stay here while you, Peter and Charlotte all go strolling back to Maria. Don't you dare think that I'm going to sit around here hoping that you'll come back one day. I won't do it Jasper! I won't! Not again. I can't." My knees buckled under a wave of fear, a fear of losing him that was so strong it crippled us both.

"Darlin', please." He whispered as he fought against my emotions.

"I'm going." I choked out as I tried to reign in my terror.

"Yes Colonel." He nodded, finally overcoming the feelings swirling around us and wrapping me in his arms.

Later that night we all gathered for a family meeting. Carlisle sat at the head of the table with Esme at his right hand, the rest of us were gathered higgledy piggledy around the room, some of us sat down, others standing.

"Jasper, you said you had something you wanted to tell us?" Carlisle said once we'd all settled down. Seriously it really did feel like we lived in a house with eight teenagers at times, and that number was about to be added to when Edward finally went to help Ethan move in.

"Maria left me a note today." He was calm as he spoke, but everyone burst into questioning, everyone except our parents. I ignored the questions, focusing instead on Jasper's calm which was filtering through me constantly, thanks to his hands resting on my shoulders as he stood behind my chair, his thumbs rubbing soft circles on my shoulder blades.

"I see." Carlisle said quietly when Emmett, the last of us still talking, finally shut up.

"It's time for me to go see her." Something passed between Carlisle and Jasper, an annoyingly silent conversation, as understanding dawned on our patriarchs face.

"Of course. Will Peter and Charlotte be joining you?"

"They will."

"Well, we'll make sure Bella is safe while you're gone." Edward chimed in and I felt my hands turn into fists. I was determined not to dredge up the past, Jasper and I had spent all afternoon doing that. He had been assuring me he'd never intended to make me think he was leaving me.

"I'm going too Edward." I glanced at Carlisle and Esme. "I have to. I can't stay here while Jay's all the way in Mexico with that 'skank'." Emmett laughed softly at my choice of words but I didn't the reprimanding look Esme gave me, or the amused smirk on Carlisle's lips.

"Bella, you can't go. It's dangerous down there. You don't know –"

"I know a lot more than you think I do Edward. And I'm going, besides, you have your hottie boyfriend moving in, he should keep you occupied." I smirked and felt Jaspers mirth brush along my arms.

"When are you leaving?" Esme asked.

"Tonight." Jasper replied in a firm tone, making it clear no one was to dispute it. No one did as the four of us left the room. We'd all packed earlier and decided we were going to take Jasper's car to the airport and he'd already ordered the rental for when we landed.

We all said our goodbyes and told the family we'd see them soon. Then we were in the car and off to the airport, this was going to be my biggest test, and had been a major point of discussion all afternoon. Jasper had been sure I'd be fine, after all they'd all come home smelling of human at some point over the last few weeks, and I had barely reacted since the first issue. Peter and Charlotte had agreed that I'd be fine, and even if I was tempted there were three vampires who had a hell of a lot of experience controlling newborns, and Jasper could drop me in a moment with a good dose of lethargy. I however hadn't wanted to chance it and had wanted to drive there, that would apparently have taken too long for their liking.

I hovered outside the doors to the airport, the smell of humans wafting around me but it wasn't too bad in the open air, the scent was really weak. Jasper had a firm arm wound around my waist, holding me tightly against him with Peter on my other side and Charlotte just in front of us. The doors opened and I was hit with an intense need for whatever was causing that delicious smell, I clung onto Jaspers shirt, trying to block out the bloodlust. I felt calming waves sliding over me and they soothed my body but not my mind.

We walked forward, my steps strained but appeared normal to the outside world. Charlotte got us checked in and then we wound our way to the departure lounge. There were people everywhere. I hadn't seen people since my change it was strange how different they seemed to me. Each once radiating their own scent, and each walking to an individual pulse. I closed my eyes against the images I had of draining every single one of them dry, and Peter and Jasper moved me to a seat in a corner, one of them on each side of me while Charlotte strolled over to the bookstore nearby.

"Sugar, look at me." Jasper whispered, trying to turn my head by my chin to stop me staring at the pulse point of an old woman sat opposite us. I was dealing with the scent of humans now, it had become a background fact of my situation, yes it made my throat burn but it was easier to ignore. Watching them however, it was tantalising, watching the blood rushing under their skin, watching their pulse pound in their necks, begging for me.

I closed my eyes tight, allowing Jay to turn my head towards him before I opened them again. His bright gold eyes were fixed on mine, his scent enveloping me, soothing the incessant ache in my throat. I could smell peter behind me, Charlotte over in the bookstore, but there was another scent here, another vampire. I frowned at Jasper, pushing my curiosity and confusion out to him.

"That's why I wanted you to look at me." He smirked. "We tried talking to you but you weren't hearin' us Darlin'. Anyway, there's nothing to worry about, it's just a nomad, he's talking to Charlotte right now." I nodded glad that there wasn't an extra worry on this journey but definitely in need of a distraction.

"Kiss me Major." I growled at him. He followed my command quickly, kissing me passionately but pulling away too quickly for my liking. He must have felt my aggravation and disappointment because he laughed softly.

"We can't get carried away here Bella." He motioned to the area and people around us, "Besides, think of poor Peter."

"Poor Peter my ass!" I scoffed. "Are you forgetting what I walked in on in the kitchen in Minnesota? His sparkly ass right in my face!" Jasper and Peter both laughed at the memory whilst I backhanded them both in the stomach.

I settled against Jasper for the remainder of our stay in the lounge before we were called to our gate. Once we had boarded I wasn't too surprised to see that someone had bought out all of first class just for us. "Thank you Cowboy." I whispered in Jay's ear as we settled ourselves into our seats. We each had a 'cocoon', which included a lie-flat seat, a TV, fold out table and a footrest, but the best thing was they were paired up with walls up around the edge of the pair with a gap in the middle of the wall where our feet would be for getting out.

I could smell the passengers in coach, I could hear them as well, but somehow I forgot all about them as Jasper whispered all the things he was going to do to me as we joined the mile high club, as the plane took off. A small groan escaped my lips as he spoke, I was aching for him to follow through on his words but the stewardess chose that moment to interrupt us.

"Welcome on board sir, is there anything I can get for you?" Her fake tits, bleach blonde hair and plastic smile really pissed me off, her saving grace was that she'd drenched herself in enough rotten perfume that I couldn't make out the smell of her blood. She smelt like rotten flowers, sickly sweet but with a nasty undercurrent.

"No, thank you." Jasper waved her away with barely a glance at her making me smile as she glared briefly at me.

"Jealousy, anger, disgust, possessiveness and lust. An interesting cocktail Sugar."

"Not really, you know I can get jealous and possessive, remember the first time Char hugged you in front of me? And I was human then." I laughed softly. "I was angry because she ignored my very existence while she tried to force her fake boobs into your face. Disgusted, well fake boobs aside, she smelt rank. And if I have to explain the lust..." I trailed off, nipping his earlobe quickly before settling back into my seat. Jay glanced at me, but let me be as he took out a book and started reading, I decided to join him in his past time and took out my own novel.

After about an hour Charlotte wandered over to us, she stole my book from my hands and asked Jasper if he was going to get his mojo on because Peter was getting antsy. I frowned for a moment before Charlotte explained that Peter didn't like flying. I knelt up in my seat to look over at my brother.

"Aw, is Petey scared of flying?" I teased, pouting at him slightly.

"Fuck off." He grumbled, turning to face Charlotte's empty chair in an effort to ignore me. I shrugged at sat back down. Once Char had gone back to her seat I glanced at Jasper, he looked like he was reading but I knew better, his gaze was fixed just above the book at the spaces where the Stewardesses were sat. I followed his gaze and noticed that they were all dropping off into a deep sleep. Without making a sound I slipped out of my seat and moved to straddle Jasper's lap, peeling the book from his hands.

Jaspers now free hands slid up my thighs and came to rest on my hips, squeezing them gently as I turned his book over in my hands. I read the blurb quickly. It was a western, how predictable. Jasper owned a lot of books, but mostly they were textbooks, or biographies about the civil war, an enthusiasm I could understand, but the few fiction books he owned were all westerns. I tossed the book onto my seat before looking at the gorgeous man under me.

"A western Jay? Really? You do know that variety is the spice of life, right?" I smirked, shifting slightly in his lap, bringing my core into contact with his rock hard dick. His hands gripped my hips harder holding me still, not letting me move to find the friction I wanted.

"You're all the variety I need Sugar." He whispered against my neck as he trailed kisses over the skin exposed by my vest top. His tongue lapped at my collarbones before his teeth grazed over them. My hands rested on his shoulders torn between pulling him closer and pushing him away slightly so I could have access to his talented mouth. After a couple more minutes he looked up at me.

My lips were instantly on his while my hands slid down his chest, reaching the top of his jeans and making quick work of the button and zipper. One of his hands had left my hip, trailing under the material of my short denim skirt. Yes, I might have had ideas about joining the mile high club before we set off.

His fingers trailed over the skin of my inner thigh, getting closer to where I needed him with every pass. A low whine escaped my throat.

"Jasper." I growled as he chuckled darkly, raking my nails over the growing bulge in his boxers. He hissed sharply, his hand ripping my underwear from me. I swiftly had him out of his boxers and in my hand as I pumped him slowly. His fingers were teasing my folds, circling my entrance slowly before moving to brush my clit, never with enough pressure to do more than make me need some friction even more.

I quickly lost my patients and jerked his hand away from me before impaling myself quickly on his cock. We both growled at the feeling as he stretched me, I paused for a moment enjoying the feeling of fullness, and then I started gently rocking over him as our mouths met.

What had started as playful had turned into something deeper, an affirmation that we were both there, that we were together, no matter what. We moved slowly together, rocking in time with each other as our tongues danced together. It took us two hours and four orgasms before we could finally separate ourselves. I climbed off him reluctantly, missing the feeling of him. Grabbing my hand luggage I darted into the toilets while he put himself back in his pants, and pocketed my shredded underwear.

When I emerged I had changed out of my skirt into a pair of jeans which looked like they'd been painted on, they were dark and worked brilliantly with the white vest top I was wearing. I had also pulled on a black and white plaid shirt, buttoning a couple of the middle buttons. Jasper groaned as I sat down, crossing my legs at the knee before fastening my seatbelt seconds before the light came on and the captain announced we were getting ready to land.

Slowly Jasper pulled his gift back from the stewardesses, who all came to, while us four vampires pretended to have drifted to sleep, easing their guilt about their neglect of us. One by one they came to wake us, telling us of the imminent landing. Tits McGee took it upon herself to stroke Jasper's arm in her attempt to wake him and I couldn't stop the possessive growl, though I was sure she couldn't hear me, I saw his mouth twitch into a smirk briefly. Sitting up and yawning I looked at Tits McGee and smiled sleepily.

"I'll make sure he wakes up." I said sweetly, she looked at me, slightly shocked, as if she hadn't registered my existence in her haste to touch my man. "There's a trick to it." She nodded dumbly before moving away from us. Once she was out of sight I leant over and pinched Jaspers nipple a lot harder than was pleasurable. He half squeaked, half yelped and bolted upright.

"Fuck Bella! That hurt!" I laughed and told him to put his seatbelt on, my laughs being joined by Peter and Char's while Jay grumbled and fastened his seatbelt while rubbing his sore nipple gently.

We had soon landed Chihuahua, Mexico and gathered our luggage. Jasper went to collect the rental while we stood outside. I was relishing the smell of human free air. Closing my eyes and letting myself enjoy it to the full, I was also grateful that it was still dark here. As bad as my geography might have been, I knew Mexico tended to be a lot sunnier than Forks.

We were driving out to Maria's home; Jasper said it wouldn't take an hour to get there. How he knew where she was had bugged me greatly until he told me that he'd kept track of her ever since he left her, know thine enemy and all that.

A black Bentley pulled up in front of Charlotte, Peter and myself and I rolled my eyes.

"Decide against being inconspicuous?" I asked a smirking Jasper as I slid into the passenger seat, he simply shrugged and we pulled away once Peter had loaded our luggage into the trunk. Char and Peter were quiet as we drove, and I could feel the tension in the car, not all of it was my own.

I was nervous about meeting Jasper's ex, and not only was she his ex she was his sire, his creator. Sure she'd treated him like a toy, winding him up and letting him go kill thousands of newborns, but I knew somewhere inside him, way down deep, he still felt something warm towards her. And that was what bothered me the most as we pulled up in front of a large white washed house.

A raven haired beauty sauntered out of the front door, her arms wide. "Ah, my children have come home." She smiled at Peter and Charlotte, both of whom stayed impassive as they stood slightly behind Jasper and I. Jasper squeezed my hand gently as Maria turned her eyes on him. "My Major." She sighed her voice wistful and longing. "Who's your little friend?"