"Jasper?" The surprised hiss came from behind me.
Yes, I'd returned to Texas, the pain from my previous life here was unbearable, yet I returned.
"Maria." I answered, confirming her thoughts. I shook my head lightly thinking, 'Idiot, Why'd I bother coming back here?' It was too late to turn back now.
"Jasper, it's been quite a long time. Where did you get off too?" She asked immediately.
I stopped the steady breathing I'd kept, and thought of something to say. With the Cullen's? No. Peter and Charlotte? No. I don't want to get either of these families in trouble.
"Around." I mumbled, giving nothing away.
"I looked for you for 100 years, Jasper. You were nowhere. Whilst I was fighting... I needed you. I lost wars, Jasper! Where the hell were you?" I shook my head slowly, and she grabbed me by the forearm, her expression not too inviting.
"I'll get you to tell me, boy. But I guess you've come back for me though, right?" She said, moving in to kiss my cheek once lightly. I stayed, letting her do it, my expression cold. Again, Maria received no answer.
She dragged me back to the place we shared together those many hundreds of years ago. It was a long trek for a normal human being, but for Maria and me, it was nothing other than a twenty minute run.
It was a miniature stone castle. One that wouldn't attract much human attention, but one that was still attractive, that Maria liked a lot.
"I've missed you so much, Jasper." Maria said, opening the already unlocked door open for me.
"And I you." I lied. My expression was still hard. Still cold. She let me walk in first, and then as she entered, took off her jacket and threw it on the old striped couch to the right of her.
"Oh, Baby. I barely changed this place. I liked it 'cause it reminded me of you. I thought you were dead. I didn't want to lose you so abruptly." She said. I winced lightly when she said 'baby'. She didn't notice. "God, it's so great that you're back. Are you staying?" She asked, turning me around.
"I think so." I answered, cutting our gaze apart by looking down. She lifted my head up by my chin.
"What's wrong, Jasper?"
"It's nothing. I'm… uh, just hungry." I said. She grinned widely.
"Great, so am I. Let's go feast." She said. My eyes were so black she hadn't even noticed the golden tinge they used to have. I guess that I would never have that golden tinge again.
Those were the only memories of my time with Alice, the 'Golden Tinge' days. Now, I was flushing them away to make memories with Maria, the 'Red Tinge' days. My reminiscences of those first years with her struck me again, and I felt sick.