"Where are they? They should have been back by now. This can't be good, Jazzy." Alice paced along the porch as she scanned the treeline for movement, racked with worry. Jasper had given up on trying to calm her for now and instead accepted her nervous tension as a part of his well deserved penitence. "I am so worried about daddy."
"Alice, my love, you don't need to tell me that. I understand better than anybody else." The casual manner in which he leaned against the railing was in direct opposition to his words but Alice noticed the darkness of his eyes and the tension in his body. Knowing that her emotional state was partly to blame, she gave him an apologetic smile as she nodded.
"I know that you do. I'm sorry but I just wish they would come home so we know that they are safe."
"Maybe we should go look for them," he offered hoping that at least that would offer him the chance of feeling useful and possibly divert his attention from thoughts of regret.
"No, they need to come to us and they will. It's just so hard to be patient. I've already seen that daddy will be okay but I just can't trust that until I actually see him here in front of me."
Jasper felt his body tremble ever so slightly as his uneasiness grew at the promise of having to face his father. How could Carlisle even be willing to speak to him, let alone forgive him, after what he had done to Esme? Oh dear God Esme. How can I even hope to be able to repair the damage that I've caused to our relationship. All you have ever wanted to do was love me as your son and this is how I repay you? There is no way that you will ever be able to truly trust me again. He rubbed his eyes in frustration.
Alice was at his side in an instant. "Jazz?"
Her expression made him realize that his wife might just know him a little bit too well. Was he really that transparent?
"I've already told you that momma isn't mad at you. She knows that you weren't thinking clearly. There is no point in fretting over something that you can't change."
"I know, darlin', but that is so much easier said then done. You're not the one who has to look 'em both in the eye and try to find a way to make things right again."
Jasper cringed as his petite mate let out an exasperated sigh.
"Let's try this again shall we, Major Whitlock, sir. You don't have to try so hard to make things right. Momma and daddy both want this all resolved so it can be left in the past where it belongs. The burden to do that is not all on you. They are going to meet you halfway; hell, more then half way if you let them, but the more you fight to monopolize the blame the harder you make things. They want to help you; let them. Just accept their forgiveness and it will all be over with."
"But, Alice..."
"No! Don't you 'but, Alice' me."
Jasper pulled back, a look of wide eyed shock on his face as his sweet little Alice suddenly snapped at him.
"You know what, Jazzy? Daddy is going to whip your butt good and you deserve it. Oh, no, not for what happen but for being so damn stubborn about it."
He continued to stare at his wife unsure of what to say when a crash from within the house brought him a moment of reprieve.
"Oh what now?" Alice's eyes went out of focus for several seconds then she shook her head in disgust. "Really?" The dark haired pixie was through the door in a flash with her mate following close on her heels.
"Rose, what did you want me to do? I couldn't just stand by and watch him act like a moron. I had to step in and help." Edward dodged a heavy crystal case that his sister threw at his head then groaned as it shattered behind him. "Are you trying to tell me that you wouldn't have done the same thing giving the circumstances?"
"No, I sure as hell wouldn't have. I would, however, have told him to stop and reminded him of what mom had said," she spat while glaring at her mate and brother as they tried to soothe things over.
"Dude, she is not taking this as well as I had hoped."
"Thanks for the heads up there, Em. I might have missed that fact had you not pointed it out."
"Just saying, Eddie."
Edward growled in response to his brother's use of the stupid nickname and was about to tell him off when Emmett spoke up again in a tone that set off warning alarms in his head.
"Rose, babe... come on. You don't want to do that. Put the lion down."
Edward's eyes narrowed at the sight of the heavy solid brass lion that represented a part of the Cullen coat of arms being strangled by his sister's grip.
"Rosalie, if you damage that Carlisle is going to..."
Edward ducked in the nick of time as the lion took a short flight which terminated in the figure becoming embedded in the wall behind his head, just missing Jasper who inadvertently stepped into the line of fire.
Apparently oblivious to the fact that she had nearly taken out her twin brother, Rose continued her rant at Edward. "Do you have any idea what you could have done to him? And you, Emmett, how in the hell could you be so damn stupid?"
"What is going on in here?" Jasper finally yelled after the shock of nearly being decapitated with a lion began to wear off. His eyes turned black as ink while his gazed shifted between his enraged sister and the targets of her frustration. The last thing their parents needed was more to worry about and he was determined to put an end to this ruckus before they could walk into it.
Rose looked at her blond brother with her own eyes black and flashing in anger. "That stupid jackass took it upon himself to reset Emmett's shoulder after mom made me promise not to let them do something that ignorant. She is going to go ballistic and it's all because they couldn't listen."
"I walked up to find this oaf slamming his shoulder into a boulder trying to reset it himself. I didn't want him causing more damage to it so I did what I felt was in Em's best interest. Mom should understand that. Look at him. The shoulder works fine now so there is nothing to get all pissed off about."
Jasper's head drooped slightly as he listened to the explanations and bickering. Once again, none of this would be happening had he not lost control. This was his fault and his siblings would end up taking the blame. This night just keeps getting better and better. Alice's light touch to his arm brought his focus back to the problem at hand.
"Rose, I really don't see momma being happy if you maim Edward regardless of how stupid he may have been to go against her wishes. Pretty sure one injured yutz is all she can handle right about now." He glanced over at the brass tail protruding from the sheet rock. "Safe to say damage to the house aint high on the list of how to keep in her good graces either."
"The fucking smart-ass could have ripped Emmett's arm off," she hissed as she crossed her arms defiantly.
"Better to be a smart-ass then a dumb-ass," Edward shot back as his temper began to get the better of him causing Rosalie to bristle as she snarled dangerously at her brother, her body tense and ready to strike out.
At least if her arms are crossed she aint throwing things. Small improvement but I'll take what I can get. Just wish Edward would back off and give her some space. Baby brother aint helpin' matters at all. "Shut up, Edward before I have to do somethin' to shut ya up. Rose, I understand what ya sayin' and I aint sayin' that you're wrong for being madder then a calf with a barbed wire tail but ya makin' things worse right now. We all need to calm down and get this place cleaned up quick. What do you think momma would say if she walked in that door right now and saw this going on?"
"She would say that there is one young lady in this house that is in dire need of a serious talking to. Apparently a couple of young men as well since they don't appear capable of following simple instructions. Either that or they are just feel the need to be defiant. Which is it, boys? " Esme tilted her head slightly as she spoke softly from her vantage point in the entrance way while Carlisle stood quietly behind her, a dangerously dark look in his eyes. "And if the language doesn't clean up right now I predict soap in some futures."
AN: Sorry that it's on the shorter side, ya. Just needed a little bridge to get the parents back home.. but hey, at least Emmett's shoulder is finally fixed. *snicker*
Reviews and Redbull keep me going, so thanks to everyone out there. Y'all are some serious kind of awesome. I promise not to keep you waiting long to get this minor hiccup resolved so Carlisle can turn his focus on poor Jasper.