Chapter Five: Revealing an Unforgivable Betrayal
"Harry? Wake up, please!" Jasper's frantic voice and cold arms shaking him awake were the first things Harry recognized as he stirred in his sleep.
"What's the matter, Jasper?" Harry yawned, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes to see Jasper nervously plucking at the cotton of his shirt with eyes filled with slight fear.
"I think I had a flashback..." Jasper trailed off unsure.
This immediately drew the General's attention as he sat up straighter and demanded to know what he saw.
"I saw someone burning a village and for some reason I felt frightened of him." Jasper murmured, watching as his mentor tensed visibly and let out a soft sigh.
"I had hoped those memories would stay in the past but there is no hoping it, I suppose." Harry shifted and pulled the vampire on the bed beside him and simply ran his fingers through the honey blond curls in attempt to explain what would mostly likely infuriate his surrogate son.
"Well, you know that you joined the Army at seventeen, right?" Harry asked.
"Yes, does that flashback represent why I did?" Jasper winced as the memory came back and shook at the force of his own rage and terror from that time.
"Yes, it does. You see I found you outside a village that had been burned to the ground by a young man merely two years older than you. He had betrayed his family and joined the Union and had come back to wipe the entire town out. I managed to save you from Aiden Whitlock, your older brother. It was how you became determined to enter the army and lied to me about your true age which I found out a few weeks later." Harry sighed when he felt Jasper's rage spike dangerously.
"Why?!" Jasper hissed, unable to comprehend how his brother would do such a thing to his own family and town.
"I never found out. You wound up meeting him a month later in battle and killed him after he had foolishly stated he enjoyed burning your parents and younger sister. I never saw you lose your anger like that." Harry dryly chuckled as he ran his memories back to the scene.
"The sight of you tackling him with your sword was rather surprising. Didn't believe you'd be able to truly fight your own family but it seems betrayal and honor were still strong in you." Harry mused as Jasper simply remained silent, trying to calm the fury sweeping through him.
"I wish I knew more." Jasper finally sighed and relaxed completely against the necromancer's arms and soaked up the comfort and love that simply came off of him.
"In time when your soul becomes more connected into yourself again, memories shall return." Harry soothed and finally muttered, "Think it would be best if you went to hunt, Jasper."
Jasper winced, feeling the burning in his throat for the first time. But sparing his surrogate father a glance, he felt conflicted. He didn't exactly want to leave.
"Go on, Jas. You are welcome to come back if you need to." Harry warmly invited and Jasper quietly slipped out of the window and Harry pulled out the phone beside his bed.
"Hello, Carlisle." Harry greeted as the fatherly vampire picked up the phone.
"Harry, did something happen with Jasper?" Carlisle worried tone made Harry smile in relief. Even if he hadn't been there for his son, someone had willingly taken that place and Harry felt glad.
"He had a flashback and I explained to him what the memory was. It wasn't a pretty memory, Carlisle. He's out hunting. I called so you guys are sure not to press the issue. He'll speak of it if he wishes too." Harry warned sharply, knowing just how curious the siblings could come and didn't want Jasper being pressured into it.
"Of course. I'll make sure the others understand." Carlisle picked up the intent clearly and with that the two hung up and Harry spared a glance at the clock.
Only three in the morning. Great. With a sigh he curled back up and fell asleep after wishing that Jasper would be calmer when he came back but also vowed to help with the other betrayals that would be revealed as time came on. With a slight sigh he whispered to no one, "Fabian, Gideon why didn't you stay?"