As promised, a quick update.
Disclaimer: I do not own twilight.
A little reminder just in case this crosses your minds, Jasper hasn't forgot about Alice, he loves her, not Maria but he had been desperate for her fake love for so long that he convinced himself that it was real. Jasper wants to believe that Maria cared for him and still does because she was his coven leader and she changed him which developed an attachment to Maria, similar with one he had with Alice but theirs was real. If that makes sense to you?
Jasper's POV
I wasn't sure what was happening right now. One side of me told me that this was a good thing, that she did love me after all but another side screamed at me that this was a trick. But she has come so far, just for me. Maria had come looking for me. That's proof that she loves me, right?
I had to growl at Carlisle to keep him away from me. If I had allowed him to protect me, which there was no need to, he would appear as the second dominant. Two dominants in the same area leads to a fight to death and no offence to Carlisle but he didn't stand a chance. He never was good at defending himself which was why I was always amazed how he never lost his place as the leader. I could have easily taken him down if I wanted to but my leading days are over even if second in command was the furthest I had ever gotten.
"Jasper" Carlisle warned.
Despite his warning, I moved closer to Maria. She couldn't find out that Carlisle ever had any control over me. Besides, between the both of them, Maria should be the one I should take orders from. She created me, I was hers.
Carlisle's moves were unpredictable at the moment, I can sense his determination but I wasn't sure what for but I also sensed worry and a touch of helplessness. Perhaps I had left him in a bad situation but as long as he stayed back, he should be fine. Just to be safe, I turned my head and looked at Carlisle and growled, a warning for him to keep away. He should understand.
"Jasper, my sweet boy" she whispered as she raised her hand to my cheek.
The feeling of her cold skin against mine caused me to purr lightly. It reminded me of the times when she had been gentle with me. Elias had changed her. I saw how her eyes darted to Carlisle. He had probably moved a little or glaring at her.
"Why did you come back for me?" I asked her.
"I missed you. Come back with me" she whispered in my ear. "I'll give you everything"
I looked back at Carlisle who I noticed had moved a little closer. I was a burden to his family. Maybe I should. Maria moved her mouth to my neck as she placed a small kiss on it. Her teeth had been right by my neck but she hadn't chosen to bite, that meant she loved me. It had to mean that.
"I'll play more gentle" she smirked as she placed a hand on my chest and began to work her way lower.
I was surprised by the sound of a growl coming from Carlisle. What was he doing? He was going to get himself killed.
"Get your hands off my son"
Carlisle's POV
I couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't just stand there and watch as the dark haired devil kept up with those horrid manipulated lies that Jasper fails to see or even feel the false emotions out of. Jasper was smart about a lot of things but when it came to the knowledge of those who loved him and those who didn't, he was an idiot.
Maria looked, more or less, glared at me as I spoke those words though she didn't remove her hands. She just tilted her head at me.
"Who do you think you are, telling me what to do?" She questioned nastily.
I took a step forward, causing Jasper to bare his teeth at me and growled but I ignored it. I was growing tired of his warnings to keep me back. He couldn't just expect me to sit and watch as the monster who abused him for a long century continued to manipulate him.
"Who do I think I am? I'm the guy who had to pick up the pieces to one of many of the lives you have destroyed" I snarled at her.
Another loud growl from Jasper, venom now pooled at his teeth. Again, I ignored it.
"Destroyed? I kept him alive" Maria retorted.
I was used to hearing these excuses from Jasper and I had enough of it. Yes, she chose him, of all the newborns, to keep alive but only because of his ability. Her abuse caused Jasper to be extremely wary which may have kept him alive then but it wasn't now and it was slowly killing him.
"You only kept him alive because of his gift. Once you found your replacement, he just became your source of pleasure. You make me sick" I bit back.
I noticed Jasper cower at the implied sexual abuse but he had obviously reminded himself not to show weakness in front of the devil because he hid his shameful expression and held a glare at me.
"Oh, don't make me sound like the bad guy. Jasper enjoyed every moment of it, didn't you?" she said as she cupped Jasper's chin.
I growled again, I didn't want her touching him.
"We don't need you here, so go" Maria waved me off.
"I'm not going anywhere. I don't follow orders and I certainly won't follow yours" I told her confidently.
Just because she had Jasper wrapped round her little finger, she couldn't control me too. Jasper winced for a reason I was currently unaware of. Maria paused and looked at me carefully.
"You really should go. The last thing you want to do is underestimate me. You have no idea what I am capable of" Maria warned.
"Oh, I know exactly what you are capable of and the proof is right in front of you" I threw back at her.
She glanced at Jasper who was crouched defensively in front of her. Despite all the hard work I had gone through with him, he still chose to back up the monster. Perhaps it wasn't fair to see it like that. Our true leaders are those who changed us and despite everything she did to him, whether he accepted it or not, he was emotionally attached to her and he couldn't help it.
"I am going to give you one last chance, Doctor" she warned.
Doctor? She had obviously found Jasper through me meaning she was probably already aware that Jasper was posing as an adopted son. In that case, Jasper's attempt to hide my 'dominant figure' away from the devil was pointless.
I took another step closer.
"Or what? Are you gonna set newborns on me? My bad, you haven't got any to hide behind. You only ever considered yourself dangerous because of the armies you created but they are not here, are they?" I told her.
They were probably all still in the South being tormented by Elias, the other monster. It was a great job he didn't follow Maria here. I couldn't imagine what trouble that would have caused us.
"I still have Jasper. And let's be truthful here, Doctor; between the two of us, he will kill you if you left him no choice so I tell you again, turn around and walk away" Maria ordered.
I wasn't having any of this. I ignored Maria and looked desperately at Jasper.
"Jasper, don't do this. Come back home" I pleaded him.
"The South is his home" Maria interrupted.
It was almost as if she feared he would listen to me. She doubted him. I ignored her and carried on.
"What about Alice? What would she think when she.."
I was interrupted with a loud growl as he moved forward, as if he were preparing to attack.
"Who's Alice?" Maria questioned.
That's when I realised why Jasper had such an aggressive response. I had made a mistake. I mentioned Alice and Maria hadn't even known that Jasper was mated. Not only was I a rival as a dominant but Alice would appear as a rival as a 'mate'.
"Who is Alice?" Maria repeated more sternly as Jasper ignored her.
Jasper flinched at her tone but he still refused to say a word. Impatient with waiting for an answer Maria suddenly pinned him to a tree with her teeth bared to his neck. I ran forward, preparing to pull her away from him but as I did she wrapped an arm around his head and I stopped.
"Take another step forward and I'll take his head off" she threatened.
"Maria?" Jasper whimpered.
This was my fault. Why couldn't I keep my damn mouth shut? Now my son was in a life threatening position. No, I did this, so I have to get him out of this.
"You want to know who Alice is? Huh? She is the girl who had spent the first few years of her vampire life looking for somebody who at the time was being treated like a piece of meat. She is the girl who spent two whole years teaching the boy that you broke that there was hope for him. She is also the same girl who brought him to a family that loves him, that treats him how he should be treated and shows him that he is worth something. So don't you dare expect me to walk away right now when my son is clearly not in safe hands with you" I told her.
It was risky. I had either dug myself in a deeper hole or I had spared Jasper's life. She looked down at Jasper.
"You have a mate?" Maria questioned mockingly.
She unwrapped her arm around his neck but kept him pinned against the tree. She shook her head at him.
"You are mine. Understand?" She said demandingly.
Jasper nodded his head rapidly.
"No you are not, Jasper. Don't listen to her. Nobody owns you" I told him, slowly.
I doubt that I would get through to him at a moment like this but I was desperate. I would not let Maria win. Maria only ever won when she had Jasper on her side and right now, I needed him to switch sides. He was making the wrong decision.
"Please don't tell me you actually listened to this guy for the past 70 years" Maria mocked. "I knew you were too weak to fight" she muttered.
"I'm not weak" Jasper protested.
"Then prove it" she snarled at him before taking a quick glance at me.
She seriously wasn't suggesting that Jasper should fight me, was she? He wouldn't. Not even if she ordered him to, I was sure of it. Jasper, too, took a quick glance at me before looking back at Maria and shook his head.
"Not this way" he whispered.
"You don't need to prove anything, Jasper. I know you aren't weak" I reassured him.
"Oh, shut up. You seem to think that smooth talking is the best way around it but it's not. Look at yourself? Jasper came to me. Me. And that tells me that my major prefers me to you. You have to treat him properly. You don't discipline him, Doctor. He likes discipline" Maria spoke as if she knew it all.
Maria now had unpinned Jasper, trusting that she would remain by her side. I tried to look Jasper in the eye but he avoided my gaze. There was only one other way I could think of getting him to understand who the bad one really is.
"Tell me, Maria, where is Elias?" I questioned.
"I got rid of him. I wanted Jasper back" She replied simply.
"So those newborns are looking after themselves?" I noted.
Jasper looked at Maria as she realized she had been caught out.
"Why would you tell us that he is gone when clearly he is still in the South? Is it because you were hoping to get revenge on Jasper leaving?" I asked.
Jasper kept his eyes on her; probably still in hope that there would be an excuse and that she did still want him. But why would he want to feel something so fake?
"Jasper, you know what I'm getting at here. If you return with her, you will be returning back to your previous life. Why throw away what we've worked so hard on? I know that deep down, you realize how fake she is. Before Alice, I understand why you were in need of those emotions, even if they weren't real but why do you want them now? Her love for you is fake, Alice's isn't. The way she cares about you are lies, our's aren't. All I want is for you to return home safely, that's here, not with her" I tried to reason with him.
"But if I leave, it will give Alice a reason to find someone else. She deserves better" he whispered.
I closed my eyes and sighed. Apparently, Alice still hasn't got through to him how important he is to her. Now I understood why he was choosing Maria. He seemed to think that Alice will do better without him. Well he was highly mistaken.
"You are her mate. Her mate. You are the one she will love forever; you are the one she would be willing to die for. Don't let that go to waste just because you think she can do better. If you go, it will destroy her. It will destroy all of us. It didn't even affect her when you left. She didn't even care and she waited 70 years just to pretend that she wants you back. Think about this, Jasper" I told him.
"Don't you dare try to turn him on me" Maria suddenly interrupted as she moved closer.
Jasper hissed at Maria when she had moved too close. Maria didn't miss it.
"Did you just hiss at me?" She questioned as she glared at him.
She walked closer to him, dangerously and Jasper lowered himself to the ground, suddenly afraid of what she might do. My instincts kicked in; not the ones of a vampire, but the fatherly ones as I ran out in front of him into a defensive crouch. Jasper was shaking in fear but I made sure he kept close behind me.
"A coward and a pacifist? I can take you both out" she said as she crouched too.
"Not if you're outnumbered" A sudden voice blurted out from behind me to find Emmett walking towards us with the girls.
Maria backed up a little when she noticed that addition of four others. Alice rushed to Jasper and pulled him back and I saw how Maria eyed her up.
"Do you still want that fight you were threatening" Rosalie bitterly spoke.
The devil appeared to size us all up before whispering.
"There's always a next time"
Alice stepped closer, despite Jasper's attempt to pull her back.
"No there won't. You will turn around and leave and if you ever decide to come back, I will personally kill you. Don't underestimate me. You are outnumbered, you know you don't stand a chance" Alice said darkly.
A little too darkly for Alice. She looked back at everyone before turning her back and leaving. As simple as that.
"Come on man, I thought you wanted to kill her" Emmett complained to Alice.
"I do but if she got killed today, it wouldn't end well for us" Alice replied a little quietly as she returned to Jasper's side.
"What do you mean?" I questioned her.
"Because I had a vision of newborns appearing here…tearing us apart" she whispered.
"Elias would avenge her" Jasper spoke.
He was still rather shaken up with what just happened although the sound of his voice seemed to remind Alice as she poked him on the shoulder and looked him in the eyes seriously.
"As soon as we get home, you and I are going to have a long talk" she told him sternly.
It was clear that she saw everything that had happened and what was said. That's how they managed to get here so fast. Where would we be without Alice's visions? Well actually, we would have only been a family of five. Jasper and Alice wouldn't have joined us. Without Jasper, there wouldn't have been a slip up which caused us to move to Fork's where Edward met Bella. It's amazing to think about the difference they made.
I walked closer to Jasper so he looked at me cautiously.
"Are you alright?" I asked him, gently.
He nodded a little too quickly.
"I'm sorry for not sticking by you. I didn't want you to get hurt on my account" he begged me to understand.
"I know. It worked out and you're safe. That's what matters" I replied shortly.
He smiled a little but then frowned.
"I still don't understand why she came all the way out here just to bring me back there if she still had Elias" He said, confused.
"Because she's a psychopath. She's a heartless bitch who enjoys watching others suffer. You in particularly" Rosalie answered.
I couldn't agree more. Jasper smiled shyly at his sister before he leaned his head against Alice's.
"We should start heading back" I told them. I took one last glance at Jasper.
"Are you sure you're okay?" I repeated in worry.
I feared that the events of today will trigger everything we worked so hard to fight off.
"I'm fine, Carlisle. You don't need to worry about me" he replied sheepishly.
Well at least he had actually figured that the worry I was feeling was towards him. I accepted the answer and guided my family home; well excluding Edward. He most likely hadn't heard of what Alice saw and he was too far away to 'hear' Alice but we would fill him in when he next visits. I would have to keep a close eye on Jasper for the next few days, just in case.
So there is just one more chapter to go now but to get that up, I'm gonna need some more reviews. Anybody want to press the Review button and tell me what they think?