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Have I come too late?

The thought was hushed, even within Jasper's mind and he looked at Edward, biting his cheek to keep from saying what he really thought: No Edward, you just missed the tea part. His foster brother actually had the gall to look away, though Jasper knew he should expect that of Edward. How long had they lived together? And truth be told, the two of them weren't even adopted; referring to Edward as his "foster brother" was a habit. And there was one more pressing thing about Edward that irritated Jasper – his treatment of Bella.

But now was not the time to say such things; they were in the middle of a battlefield and the sooner they got back to the Newton hunting shop, the sooner Jasper could tell Edward exactly what he thought. I was at La Push, Edward explained as the two vampires' eyes connected.

Go to hell.

Edward's face remained impassive, but Jasper could feel the slight hurt, the recoil of emotions at Jasper's command. "We need to head back to the store. Now," Charlie said, his voice breaking the silent conversation between the two. "We can't be out here like this- we've already lost too many of our party."

"Agreed," Edward murmured, "but what about the boy?" He moved in a flash- far too quickly for the humans or werewolf to see, but Jasper was neither. The blur that was Edward went into a house across the street, speeding back dragging a considerably slower blur: Erik Yorkie, a camcorder clutched in one hand.

"Dude," Yorkie groaned as Edward skidded to a stop. "I think I'm gonna hurl." He wobbled for a moment as Edward let him go, clearly still suffering from vertigo.

"Eric," Charlie Swan snapped and the young boy jumped to attention. "Are there any survivors with you? Family?"

Yorkie shook his head. "My parents are out of town for the next week and a half," he said with a shrug. "Besides, with all the shit that's going down," here he paused and lifted his camera, "no one is gonna be able to get into Forks for a while."

An uncomfortable silence fell over the group as Jasper took in Eric Yorkie's words, the action of showing the camera. The boy he knew was into technology; something that personally had never been Jasper's forte. But Jasper wasn't completely ignorant of the internet. "Did you…" Jasper trailed off.

Eric Yorkie nodded. "I've been running a live feed ever since this shit went down. The attack on Forks went viral today."

That means the Volturi will catch wind of this within days, Edward sent the thought to him, Maybe even hours.

Damn it all to hell.

Charlie took off at a run, back towards the Newton's store, head swiveling back and forth. The others followed him, Jasper content to be in the back for once. If the Volturi were coming, then Forks would no longer exist. And if what Eric Yorkie said was true…then the entire world now knew of their existence. In short, everyone was now fucked.

It was the sudden absence of feeling that caused Jasper to lose his train of thought. He had been keeping tabs on Mike as the group made their way back to the store but the sudden lack of turbulent rage, wracking grief was enough to make Jasper stop and look at him. Mike's face was blank, his hands clutching the hunting rifle so hard that his knuckles were white. Jasper looked from the stricken young man to the end of the street they had just turned on, and saw the reason for Mike's shock.

Carlisle's back was to them, his head bent low as he cradled a woman's body: Mike Newton's mother. Her head was rocked back, eyes glassy and unseeing as Carlisle bit into her throat. Her legs were splayed out, a shoe missing from one foot. There was a smear of blood on the wall of a building beside them- her blood Jasper realized with a sudden clarity. And it was then that the tsunami of emotion struck; Jasper almost buckled underneath the uncontrollable rage, the grief that pounded Jasper's mind, the pure hatred directed at Carlisle, at him, at Erik, at Leah, at everything. Carlisle raised his head then and turned to look at them; his lips were smeared with her blood, that delicious smell so intoxicating to Jasper, so revolting within his mind. "I'm sorry Newton," Carlisle sighed. "But I had too. She was dying."

"Y-you," Mike stuttered. He was unable to speak but judging by the wince Edward had just done, it was clear that Mike Newton was clearly enraged…and Edward was getting the full mental brunt of it.

"I think I've reached her in time though. If we can get her inside and-"

"You turned her!"

Carlisle gently lowered the ground and now Jasper could see the mortal wound: center mass, a single gunshot. Had it happened when they were fighting? It must have- Jasper would have heard a gun go off after then. Carlisle raised his hands in a surrender gesture: a symbol meant to calm the person, to reassure them. Topaz eyes flickered to Jasper's and Jasper saw Carlisle frown as he took in the ex-soldier's bloody state. He wanted him to calm Newton down. To get the boy high so that he was easy to control. Jasper might have done it. Mike was clearly a danger; emotionally unstable at losing one parent.

But Carlisle had done the one thing that gave Mike Newton every right to scream at Jasper. was going to turn. And in that sense, Carlisle Cullen had taken away Mike Newton's remaining parent.

She was dying, Edward thought to him as Mike ran towards them. It was far the greater good.

Jasper watched as Mike shoved Carlisle aside before he dropped to his knees. A whimper bubbled forth from his lips as he clung to his mother, sobbing into her shirt. Jasper could smell the salt of his tears and no matter how strong he could make his shields, he could still feel those emotions beating down. Threatening to drown him.

"Was it for the greater good Edward," Jasper whispered, low enough so that only those with their hearing could hear.

Would you have him grow up without his mother?

"Would you take her without consent?"

Silence. Jasper had all the answer he needed.