I'm sorry for the wait. At first I was too busy to update, then I was too angry. And then my dear mother put parental controls on here. So here's the chapter, and Corrine is introduced.

Peter POV

"Hello, Corrine. It's Carlisle. My son is sick. I need your help."

My head snapped up at those words. Finally Carlisle Cullen would do something other than beg the Volturi and watch my brother wither away.

I had to strain, but I could faintly hear some of the words the person on the other end of the line was saying.

"Carlisle?... What do… sick?"

"He's been ill for weeks now. Stomachaches, headaches, nausea… We've tried everything we can think of and nothing. I wouldn't have bothered you if I had a choice left."

"Bring…See…what I can…"

Carlisle breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Corrine. You don't know how grateful we are for your help."

"Bye, Carlisle."

He poked his head into the room, seeing Jasper was sleeping. "Peter, Alice, can you two come downstairs? We're going to have a meeting."

Alice eased Jasper off her, laying him on the bed, and followed me downstairs. I stood against the wall with Charlotte, watching the Cullens take their seats around the table.

"My… old acquaintance, Corrine, has agreed to help us heal Jasper in any way she can."

Everyone looked relieved- except Rosalie, who was suspicious, as was I. "Who is Corrine?"

"She's someone I used to travel with. I don't know all that much about her, she is very private. I do know that she now travels in a coven of four. She is with two males and one female vampire."

"Do you know them?"

"No. All I know is that her mate is called Nathaniel."

Rosalie huffed. "So we're going to stay with four vampires we don't know. How do you know they won't kill us?"

Carlisle sighed. "Rose…"

She looked at him. "Well? How do we know? What if they attack us? How will we protect Jasper if we're all dead?"

"Corrine would never do such a thing. And we're not staying with them at their home."

"Then how the hell-?"

"They are staying here."

Rosalie looked furious. Emmett reached out to calm her, but she shook him off and hissed at him, then stalked outside.

Slowly, the meeting came to an end. He said that Corrine and her coven would arrive late tomorrow or early the next day.

"Do you trust this Corrine?" Charlotte asked me quietly, as we sat in the darkness of Jasper's room. He was content to play chess with Emmett for the time being, propped up on many pillows with Alice beside him.

"Check," Emmett said. Jasper sighed, frustrated.

"No, I don't, not yet," I admitted. "A strange coven here just seems so foolish. That will endanger Jasper."

"I know," she soothed. "We'll keep him safe. And after how Rosalie acted, she doesn't like it either. I'm sure she'll stay close to him as well."

Jasper spoke. "What are you all hiding from me? Who is Corrine, Peter?"

I froze, as did everyone else in the room.

"Who is Corrine?" he demanded. "If it has something to do with me, you can't keep it from me, Peter. Damn you, I'll find out somehow."

Carlisle's voice came from downstairs. "He's right. You can tell him."

I chose my words carefully. "Corrine is a friend of Carlisle's, who wants to help you."

"Help me?"

"She's coming to try and make you better," I told him. "She and her coven, that is."

"How many in her coven?"

"Four, counting her."

He nodded, falling silent, and turned back to his game. Emmett was watching him anxiously. I knew my brother was irritated that we'd not told him about Corrine. But Carlisle hadn't wanted to stress him out or upset him, worrying it would be bad for his health.

Charlotte leaned into me, so I put my arm around her and watched Jasper's face intently for signs of stress. There were none.

Surprisingly, Jasper stayed awake all night, even though by morning he was leaning on Alice with droopy eyes. I quit watching him eventually, deciding he was okay.

There was a quick rap at the door downstairs, and I smelled someone unfamiliar. Immediately, my body tensed and I moved closer to Jasper to protect him.

Carlisle opened the door. "Corrine? You're quite early. How did you get here so quickly?"

There was a quick murmur that was unintelligible for even my ears, and then Carlisle spoke again. "And this is your mate, Nathaniel?"

"I am Nathaniel. This is Scarlett, and this is Caleb."

"Very nice to meet you all. Corrine, would you like to come see Jasper?"

"Of course, Carlisle. That is why I am here, is it not?"

A moment later, the two of them entered the room. My eyes went to her, analyzing her for danger to my brother.

She had long, curling black hair, and eyes an unusual shade of red. She was more beautiful than most of our kind, as beautiful as Rosalie Hale, but her face was rather arrogant, to be honest. I found no true threat in her for now, but I did not relax.

As she knelt over Jasper, I hovered close to the bed, eyes locked on her. She examined him quietly, occasionally murmuring something to him softly, in an oddly gentle voice.

Finally, finally, she stood and moved away. Alice and I instantly moved closer.

"I believe I can help your son, Carlisle."

"And will you want something in return?" I demanded.

Corrine acted as if I hadn't even spoken. I resisted the urge to snarl. "I will need to send Scarlett and perhaps Caleb to a place to fetch supplies. I either want some of your coven to go along with them, or your word that they will not attack Nathaniel nor I."

There was an immediate murmur of disagreement from downstairs, obviously stating that none of the Cullens would accompany Scarlett and Caleb.

"Corrine, I give you my word that my family will not attack you or your coven." Carlisle sighed, as if regretful that she did not trust him. Again, I resisted the urge to growl. Foolish Carlisle, always the one to trust others too quickly. Far too trusting.

"As an old friend, I shall hold you to that, Carlisle." Corrine turned, not waiting for a response, and spoke in the direction of the door. "Scarlett darling, Caleb, come. I need you to do something for our dearest Carlisle.

Go to this link for a picture of Corrine:

.http :/www. dreamstime. com/ beautiful-muslim-woman-with-long-black-hair-thumb18284125. jpg

Just be sure to take out the spaces.

Teaser to reviewers.