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Music:
Nothing else matters – Metallica
Paradise (what about us?) – Within Temptation ft Tarja
Starlight - Muse
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Chapter 29: Jasper – Headache
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It's almost Christmas. Life's been good these past months. Positive feelings all around. Sometimes I get a bit lightheaded from the love in this house. Especially now Leah has found her imprint. I don't mind it one bit really. Still I welcome a break due to people being away. Or when me and Alice go on a trip.
When May joined us we revised our plans of going to college again. It just happened and we didn't think about it much. Coming up with so much else to do. I finished a course in counselling for example. Which came in handy one day when most of family left to do different things. Me, my love and May were left. She was sitting in the yard in lotus position, beneath one of the hemlocks.
The sun made a brief appearance for once and she sparkled in the light. Not that she noticed, being in a meditative trance. I watched her through the window, her face showing off several emotions. Moving to the doorway I felt them too. Alice flashed to my side. "She could use someone to talk to when she 'comes out of it'," she told me softly. Turning to look at her, I saw it wasn't bad from what was in her eyes.
"I think you can reassure her," she added. I nodded and waited. The moment May opened her eyes, I was sitting next to her. Regarding me calmly she said: "You want to have a talk with me?" A smile was my response. "Do you want to talk about something?" I bounced back. The clouds moved back in place once more.
She sighed and fiddled with her hands. "I can feel you're worrying about …," I said, not finishing my sentence. She looked at me before answering; "Seth." I frowned, a bit confused. "Why? I asked, is there something wrong with him?" A headshake told me it wasn't like that. Then it clicked, because there could be just one thing. "It's imprinting, isn't it?" She nodded, her eyes down again.
"I know he really loves me, she said, and has met many new girls, even after his trip to the Makah-reservation." And it hasn't happened." And most of the time I go with that, believing the chance of it happening being slim." But imprinting is always lingering in the back of my mind." I think of it often, when I'm alone," she admitted finally. Another big sigh escaped her lips. I put an arm around her shoulders.
"Well, I responded, I'm not sure if I can help you with those worries." I can only tell you what he feels when he's around you." With a finger I lifted her head so I could look her in the eye. Instantly she reacted to my calmness, because of her copying gift. Softening, relaxing. "When he sees you, all his attention goes to the one he loves, I explained, he can't focus on something else for too long." He desires to touch you."
May eyes were shining now with tears that couldn't fall. "And, I added, now that I know how Leah feels, I dare to say his feelings for you are just as strong as hers for Jacy." Overwhelming feelings of love, relief and being moved washed over me. I released her chin to break contact. That quickly dampened down those emotions, now that she wasn't sharing them directly.
"Really?" She breathed to confirm. I sent her a sample of what I've gotten from Seth yesterday. She gasped. "But don't you get that from him while you're 'flying'?" I questioned. That fact suddenly occurred to me. They had a direct line into each others mind then. "Yes, she replied, but … , oh I just don't know." I guess I just want to stay prepared, to be able to control my emotions." I'm afraid it'll be bad." There was a sting of pain.
I knew what she meant, I've gotten some strong stuff from Edward and Jake, back around the time of the newborn fight. Leah hit me with bitterness too then. I had examples enough of broken hearts. "Well, I said next, I'll be there to support you, we all will, should it happen." You know that, right?" She leaned against me. "Yes, I know, but I don't think I could stay, she stated, I'd be in the way."
Shock ran through me for a second. "You'd leave us?" I questioned. "Even if we don't live near La Push anymore?" Her head shot up. "What do you mean?" – "May, think, we've been in Forks for over five years," I said calmly. "We have to move soon, people are starting to notice we're not aging, especially Carlisle." She got a thoughtful look. "Where will we go?" What about Jake?" – "We don't know yet, I answered, but we don't have to go far."
"Maybe Seattle, that's manageable." "Hmm, yes, she replied, that sounds okay." I'll give it some thought too." We got up. "And I'll think about leaving the family also, she added, should the thing happen." I nodded. Moving inside, May decided on a shower and a change of clothes. Me, I felt the need to show my Alice how much I loved her. Realising one could never do that too often.
The holidays had been wonderful, passing by too soon. We really were one big, mixed up family. Strange how homey I felt. Never imagined that to happen. I would've told you, you were crazy, back in my army days. Unfortunately that was about to change. Just after Jake's birthday Alice realised she hadn't checked in on the Volturi in a while. We weren't worried that she hadn't gotten a spontaneous vision of them either.
It had been a year since their last appearance and if they wanted revenge for the loss of those guards, they'd been here already. So it came as a shock when she came back to me after only three seconds. Panic accompanied her words. "They're gone!" she exclaimed, I can't see them anymore!" Flashing to me, she hugged me close. I sent her calming waves.
"Are you sure, love?" I asked gently. "Yes, she said a bit louder, it's all black, just like with the wolves and Nessie." I wondered; "who were you trying to see exactly?" "Aro, she replied, and I tried Caius next." "Hmm, maybe you could focus on one of the guards, like Demetri," I suggested. She closed her eyes and focused for a minute. "I see short images of them on a mission, but it's nothing special and a bit blurry."
Frustrated and worried she decided to try again tomorrow. The result was the same. Determined she kept it up for three weeks. Not telling anybody, making me promise stay quiet too. But her anxious feelings started to escalate, giving her a headache also. I couldn't take it much longer and pleaded with her to tell the rest of the family.
We held on for a few days more. In the end though, I had to leave her to hunt and have a break. When I left our room, she closed it and locked the door. She needed a time-out too. As I stepped outside however, I accidently brushed May, who was marching in. Yes, marching, because she was irritated and upset. She stopped dead in her tracks after we touched. "Is this how Alice feels, she demanded, for how long, Jazz?!" Because I've sensed something is wrong for a while now."
"Edward knows it too, he's right behind me." "For almost a month now," I replied. And on cue my brother appeared. May gritted her teeth and proceeded up the stairs. Edward gave me a stern look as I let him in on the problem. "Alice, my sister called, let me in!" The door rattled. "Alice, let me help you!" May banged on the wood. "You can't! Alice shouted, go away!" We rushed up to them as a crash sounded. Wolf-girl broke the door down stating: "You don't know that for sure."
As we arrived to see into our room, Alice was standing by the bed, arms crossed in annoyance. May leaned the broken door against the wall. Turning her attention to her sister she grinned. "What? She questioned, you could've stopped me by just letting me in." Or tell Edward." She glanced at him over her shoulder. 'Why didn't you stop her breaking stuff?' I thought to him. He shrugged; "I didn't feel like it, your wife brought it on herself." Pixie!" he muttered with a cough.
My love rolled her eyes. May moved towards Alice and gestured for her to sit down on the bed. A bit reluctant she did as asked while rubbing her temples. "Why have you been so stubborn?" May questioned. "We could've at least talk about it?" She sat down next to Alice, who gave her critical look. "Well, for one, she replied, we haven't really touched since that family meeting." And second, you don't want to know the future, especially your own."
May groaned and sighed. "I know we haven't really explored stuff further, but that's not deliberate," she said. "And that one time was enough for me to know how your gift works." Lastly, you can't see much of my future because of Seth, so I don't want you to bother." Also I think you use your gift too often, for little, private things."
I want to keep being surprised, eternity is boring without it." Finally, you know I want to know if there's danger coming." She was very serious and sincere. Her eyes gentle and caring. I felt Alice giving in. She closed her eyes and held out her hands, palms up. May put hers in them and they held each other like that. Together they began to look for the Volturi leaders. After a minute they came back out of it.
"See, Alice said, it didn't make any difference." May had a thoughtful look on her face, her eyebrows furrowed. "Well, she responded, I don't really know those three." I want to try something else." Both women closed their eyes again. Slowly emotions in the room changed. I focused on Edward, who's eyes widened with surprise. Oh how I wish I could see what he saw now. My wife was also stunned, her lips parting a little to form an 'O'.
My brother tried to say something, but couldn't find the words it seemed. Alice regained her composure and started to talk. "We saw Jake and Nessie, a few months from now, training." To work together and be able to defend themselves better." She stared at May who was cool as a cucumber. "What? She asked, I know them very well and I focused on Nessie's gift to find her." No big deal." My love had lost her ability for speech right now. *Grin*
Wolf-girl went on to explain it further as Carlisle and Esme also entered the room. "That's the basics of Alice's gift, she said, if you want to find someone specific, it's easiest if you know them." She turned to Edward. "Will you show me some memories from the Volturi leaders?" I think that will help." I need as much information as possible." He nodded without thinking and held out his hands just like Alice had done.
I've never seen him so cooperative where his gift is concerned. But being able to see his daughter's future was something he wanted very much, so I guess that did it. Edward had a lot of memories of Aro, the other two much less. It took fifteen minutes for them to release each other. Both blinked a couple of times, 'coming back to reality'. While they had been busy, I filled our parents in on what has been happening. Carlisle was beaming with curiosity, eager to ask questions.
"Wow, May exclaimed, Aro's that old?!" And his head is so full with memories of others beside his own." How does he handle that?" Edward shrugged. "Well I think I'd avoid touching him myself, she added, because I don't think I'd want all that in my head." She shuddered and shook her head. Then she moved back to sit with Alice. "Let's try again."
They did that and my wife's reaction was even stronger, as was my brother's. Both their jaws dropped. I hadn't kept track of time, but when the girls came out of their trance, I also registered terror from them. Whatever they saw was bad, really bad. I gave them a small wave of calm, not sure what else to do. That helped them to talk.
In turn, Edward, Alice and May told us what was in the vision. Everyone's emotions flowed from surprise to shock. Aro had captured Nahuel's sisters to block Alice. He had some new additions to his guard too. They seemed pretty powerful, though their gifts weren't entirely clear. We were heading into war and didn't know it. Nobody breathed for half an hour, until we heard Emmet and Rose come in. We all sprang to life and started making plans.
Contacting friends, putting out the word to get more allies. Us moving also came up. We couldn't house so many vampires or more like before. Not near La Push. Bella put up an idea for collecting donor blood. She hated humans getting killed because of us. We had time, though we didn't know how much for sure. A meeting with all the wolves was up next. My mind kicked into 'army gear', I needed to be the Major once again.
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Note:
The Cullens came to Forks August 2003. At the end of this chapter it's February/ march 2009.
The maximum amount of time they'd prefer to stay is seven years.
Any ideas on where they could move to, other than Seattle?
Is there another reason May could see Jake and Nessie? The 'flying' maybe? Or is there more?