Author's Note: after two weeks, a LOT of frustration, and a mental break or two, I finally present the next updates. there's still a lot left to rewrite but at least things are coming together again. thank you so much for being patient and understanding with me, I really needed it. Enjoy. :)

Emmett tapped his fingers against the steering wheel as Kadaus, Toben, and Aaron loaded enough food for the Apocalypse into his jeep. He hadn't wanted to go in the first place and was now stuck with the task of hauling food he wouldn't even eat. People milled outside the warehouse freely, talking. They were dressed much more casually than usual, in light clothes and swimwear. Emmett's eyes moved to the rear-view mirror and watched as yet another group of people spilled out of the warehouse door, Lilith and Ruby among them. Damn, how many people were going to this thing? He looked down at his own white t-shirt and black swim trunks, being one of the many to be in attendance today. Though unlike everyone else here, he wasn't quite as optimistic. Zain walked around the car and braced his arm on the frame, hand tapping the roof. He grinned, transforming his handsome features. Lips curled upwards amidst the dark shadow that coated the lower half of his face and his eyes were full of mirth, gleaming from under his dark hair.

"All set. You know where to go?"

"yeah." according to any public record, there were no more public beaches beyond La Push for miles. Not until the next human populated area at least. But there were more. Emmett's baby could go off road and still handle like a dream. Zain's deep ruby eyes were bright as he looked around.

"It seems like word spread fast. Should make for an interesting day."

Emmett scanned his eyes out the windshield. "Well, they picked a good day for it." it was supposed to be in the high seventies, a rarity in these parts.

"You don't sound very eager."

"I don't really want to go. But I got the feeling Anala was already thinking five steps ahead. I thought it would be better to just go with it."

Zain chuckled emphatically. "Smart man."

Anala was right to tell him not to doubt her skill, making him much gladder he'd decided that he wasn't getting out of this one. Nolan had refused, claiming there was too much for him to be doing. Emmett had thought his argument was valid and justifiable and completely reasonable. But in some strange, preternatural display of woman-magic Anala had not only convinced her brother to postpone the day's plans, but had Nolan convinced it was his idea to do so until it was too late to take it back. Emmett had been on the receiving end of that sort of mind-fuck. He knew it perfectly, but somehow it always seemed to catch him off guard. It was a bit terrifying knowing her power did not stop at blood-relation. Emmett didn't stand a chance against that.

But, he did have the element of surprise on his side.

Emmett's lips lifted a bit as he thought of her. He turned the key in the ignition and a mechanic purr welcomed him. He looked to his once-teacher. "Alright, I gotta go pick up Anala."

He stepped back, giving a casual wave. "See you in a bit."

Emmett drove down the roads and passing forests. He wasn't looking forward to this. He didn't have anything against the Quileute's. The wolves were really cool when they weren't being complete assholes. He just rather spend his day doing other things. Even though he wasn't enthused, Emmett didn't mind. He saw how much Anala had been looking forward to this. If seeing the happy smile on her face meant he'd spend his day at the beach then so be it. He reached home quickly, considering himself exempt from the speed limits. He shut off the jeep, leaving the key, and made his way into the house. He could hear Anala and Rosalie bickering fussily and began making his way up stairs.

"Hey, cut it out Rose!"

"But what if you wore this one instead?"

"I'm not changing again. This is the third time!"

He flashed to Rosalie's door and leaned against the frame. Anala was blushing, pulling her dress down around her hips as Rosalie giggled, fingers teasingly running along her bottoms. She leaned in to kiss her lightly. "Fine."

He suddenly thought maybe the beach wouldn't be so bad. Emmett took a moment to run his stare over her before she realized he was there. The dress was short and black, the crocheted material creating patterns over her caramel skin and hugged her body closely. It held around her neck by a thin black string, leaving her arms shoulders and upper chest bare and revealed the sigil that marked her royal blood in the black band that went around her upper arm. The bikini beneath it practically looked made with her body in mind. It was a deep forest green that set off her eyes. The top cradled her full breasts and tied around her neck and back by thin ropes of fabric. He could make out the bottom of the mark that lay between them from under the dress. His mark. Emmett followed the map of inky black on Anala's body, scanning the lines that moved down her ribcage and traveled over the full curves of her hips. The trailing marks on her hip and thigh tempted him to kneel before her and kiss along the path of writing, to follow along the soft skin and discover what the matching bottoms hid away.

Rosalie made her way to the bed. The beautiful blonde bombshell wore a navy blue bikini that left little to the imagination and accentuated her graceful frame, a dangerous combination for a woman like that. Gold met his eyes through the reflection of the large mirror and her pink lips smiled before she turned to him. Anala turned, seeing her attention shift. Green eyes met his. Rosalie rested a hand on her hip. "You like?"

"Very much." he replied, admiring the color against her pale complexion. "but you know I'm going to spend the day beating guys off you two all day, right?" she pulled on a thin white dress and looked at her reflection as she scoffed.

"Oh please," she muttered. "As if I need you for that." she flipped her long blonde mane and sighed in contentment. "I look perfect, don't it?"

"Yeah Rosie, you're beautiful." his response was automatic, honed from years of appeasing his ex-wife's vanity. Anala's smile widened and he winked at her. Rosalie turned and made her way out of the room. "Damn right."

He chuckled as he listened to her footsteps fade as she left the house. Anala was turning, moving to the foot of the bed to pick up a beach bag, giving him a full view of her full round ass and the long trails of scripts that moved down her spine. Emmett pondered how angry she'd be if her trapped her in the room for the day. She straightened pulling it over her shoulder. She approached him, deep red lips smiling at him as their eyes met.

"Thank you for coming to the beach today."

"Sure."

She sighed. "Okay now say it with a bit more enthusiasm."

He frowned a bit. "That's a tall order."

"Em, it'll be fun!" his lack of excitement frustrated her. Emmett supposed he was a bad boyfriend for finding it amusing. "I thought you of all people would be looking forward to this. What else could you have possibly been doing instead?"

"Well," he reached out, pressing his hand against her side. "We could've seen a movie in Port Angeles, or walked along the pier in Seattle. We could've gone for a long drive to the middle of nowhere." just to name a few.

Anala was looking up at him. She pulled the bag from her shoulder and let it fall to the floor. "Em," she stepped closer to him, hands reaching up to tug his shirt. He leaned down, meeting plump, soft lips. He pulled her body closer, wanting to feel the warmth of her. Anala pulled away slowly, making him groan. "We can do those things whenever you want. Neither of us are going anywhere. We have time." Anala grinned. "Plus I'm hoping for sunlight and it really will be fun."

"Oh you so owe me, do you know how much food was just packed into my baby?" the complaint held no merit. He would do anything for that woman.

"I'll make it up to you."

"How?"

She looked to his lips. "Any way you want, love."

Emmett ran his eyes over her slowly. "How about you lose the bikini and just where the dress?"

Anala picked up the bag. "Okay," she moved around him and into the hall, pausing. "We can go for a drive later."

The air was warm. Over the natural scent of salty sea and earthy forest mingled a variety of aromas; of cooking meat and food and a wide assortment of individual scents tied to their own specific person. The emotions in the air were light, jovial, and Jasper felt them sink into his flesh much like how a plant absorbed the warm rays of the shining sun. The isolated beach formed a large crescent on the land, covered in sand and bordered by thick forest. Beyond it extended nothing but deep blue-green Ocean. The waves lapped at the shore and frothy white foam disintegrated back into the swell. Above the peaceful sound of the ocean tide and leaves rustling gently in the breeze were the sounds of heartbeats and laughter and music. Jasper looked to the high cliffs in time to watch Nolan flip off the edge, falling through the air and landing in the ocean below. There were cheers from those who still stood on the cliff and he looked back in time to see the Layame monarch surface. The sound of grunts and impacting bodies brought his attention to the football game currently in progress. There were lighthearted groans and complaints from the opposing team as Emmett caught the ball at the appointed end zone, grinning widely. Despite all his bitching and moaning, Emmett was enjoying himself. The teams got into position, Embry called a play, and it began anew. This was by far the best interaction his family had with the Quileute shifters. They had attended other council meetings, with the exception of Emmett and Rosalie. Of course. While there were others there with them, this was a true display of harmony between their kinds.

From a soldier's point of view, this was a powerful gathering. Among the Packs and his family, there were many creatures in attendance. There were several Layame, Shifters, and Fae. There was Zain, the powerful Wyvern a force of his own, opposed by very few among them. The Natural Vampire Toben and his brother Kadaus, who was leader of the Guard, were there as well. The two Vayars, Elias and Rowan were among the fastest of them all, with honed reflexes and astonishingly swift reaction-times. There were also several varieties of hybrids among them, their scents diluting those that were human or mostly human. Until meeting Nolan, many of these creatures never existed to him. Jasper felt unexpectedly reassured. Whatever chance there was of him losing control and attacking someone did not worry the vampire. Not only were the two most powerful of the Layame in the near vicinity, but there were many skilled here who would be able to stop him quickly enough. Even the youngest of them, Simon, was a much more skilled fighter than any enemy would anticipate. A short search and Jasper spotted the young, twelve-year old shifter lounging in a nearby tree, hidden among the shady leaves and legs swinging lightly. The quiet boy had the strangest fascination with Anala. he never got too close, but the child seemed to be ever vigilant of her when she was near, eyes seeking her out every so often from wherever he was outside the invisible parameter he'd established. Jasper wondered if Anala were even aware of it.

And then there was the most volatile and unpredictable of them all: Javan, who held some odd power over the native shifters. Jasper did not know what it was, but they were somehow drawn to the man. He supposed it was that he was a wolf too, but it was shocking considering how violent their first interaction had been. Though that didn't seem to be it. They respected him, perhaps as a powerful Alpha, despite the fact that he was pack-less and a vampire. Javan of course, was utterly indifferent.

"Come on! Just a little sun, that's all I'm asking for." Jasper looked to Anala. He lay with her and Rosalie on a large blanket. She was glaring up at the gray sky and he followed her stare. He could make out the orb of the sun behind the cover of drifting gray clouds.

"What were you expecting? This is Forks."

"I know that Rose. But how perfect would it be? Nice weather and sunlight? If only the clouds would get the hell out of the way!"

Jasper folded his hands behind his head, smirking. "I tend to find that if you ask the clouds nicely, they become much more compliant."

Anala rolled her eyes at him and huffed as he and Rosalie laughed. She stood and jasper's eyes voyaged over her. It couldn't be helped, Anala drew stares, from men especially. Jasper was well beyond the point of feeling uncomfortable by his reaction, having long ago accepted that as a man he was fated to be unable to resist the sight of a beautiful woman. Anala's allure was exotic. The individual features of her and her brother were hard to place a specific origin to, adding to the fascination. long hair fell down her body. The deep black of it, paired with the pale brown of her skin made her over-all appearance look warm and appealing. The smooth skin was artfully decorated in dark markings that summoned curiosity and the deep emerald eyes were mysterious and radiant, which drew one into them whenever she met another's gaze. Rosalie's choice in swimwear for the other woman also didn't help. Though of course, she was nothing compared to her brother.

But Jasper was biased.

Emmett was suddenly behind her and Anala screamed in shock as he grabbed her. "No—Emmett!"

She very nearly escaped his hold but in a series of maneuvers that could only be associated with one skilled in the art of battle, Emmett had her over his shoulder. Something Jasper had never seen the other do. Whether he learned it from Zain or from his two years away, jasper did not know. It was impossible to tell at this point. The vampire ran for the water, not stopping as he breached the shore. Emmett was suddenly throwing Anala into the air, laughing heartily. She landed several yards out and surfaced a few moments later as he waded out and disappeared under the water's surface. Anala flailed, crying out, and Emmett resurfaced behind her. The woman splashed at him.

"Don't do that!"

He was chuckling wickedly. Anala drifted closer to him, being pulled forward, and her arms went around his neck. A hint of sadness caused jasper to look over. Rosalie was watching them, a small smile on her lips. "I just wish it didn't take so much pain for them to get to this point." she told him softly in response to his curiosity. "Do you think he would have loved again, if she hadn't come back?"

"I don't know Rose, maybe. I guess if it were me, I'd eventually try, maybe as a final attempt to convince myself I could actually do It." jasper scanned his eyes out over the water. Nolan was standing on a rock, water running in clear rivulets down his long, toned body. His hands pushed back his pitch black hair as pale blue eyes tracked the descent of two other jumpers, lips grinning as they hit the water with a splash. His very existence in jasper's world felt like a strange anomaly he never wished to part with, had come to vitally need throughout his eternal being.

He tore his gaze away from his mate and back to his sister, continuing. "But the loss would probably kill me in the end."

How Emmett had survived losing Anala was something jasper would never be able to comprehend. The instant he became aware of Anala's death, jasper already knew Emmett would become lost to them. Jasper had mentally prepared himself in order to soften the blow of the inevitable moment and once Alice saw and informed them Emmett would be leaving, he had a strange mix of emotions. Worry and sadness tugged him into a deepening pit, but at the same time he held a genuine hope that if that moment ever came to Emmett, if he would truly go on no longer, then the blonde prayed he found a peaceful place away from such a torment. Admittedly it had been a dark thought. Emmett was his brother, jasper had come to love him as he did the others, and Alice, and Charlotte. And Peter. It would've hurt, but Jasper was an Empath. He felt each strand of raw pain, the aching despair and cold, bitter rage that stemmed from the bottomless hole of agonizing loss. The vampire had almost been relieved when the other had shut down completely, going unsettlingly numb. If he gave in to Death, Jasper would not have faulted him. Yet somehow, Emmett had continued on. Granted, the two years he had been away were a mystery that did not seem very good considering the lack of mention and his haunted red eyes upon arrival. But still, Emmett lived with that. Every moment of it. What it could have been that drove him to live on in this half existence, Jasper wondered. He had seen and experienced and survived many horrors throughout his life and afterlife but losing Nolan? The thought caused a nervous anxiety to prickle uncomfortably along his nape.

Jasper wasn't that strong.

"You can't die dummy. We won't let you." she was still staring out at the water.

"Emmett's very determined when he wants to be though, so he might've at one point or another, I believe."

"No," Rose murmured. "It would never mean the same. That woman is his world. Anyone else would be competing with a ghost." she looked at him and jasper became curious as he looked into amber eyes identical to his own. "You know he never told me what happened those two years? Not once. He tells me everything, you know that."

Jasper frowned a bit. "He changed." the simple truth. No more, no less.

"Because he lost her." Rosalie looked to him again, tilting her head back as a warm breeze carried past, making her golden hair sway. "I married the man and sometimes I feel like I never really met him. Have you looked at him? I mean really looked. Happiness like that doesn't come from just anyone." her smile grew slightly. "She's it for him, Jazz. Losing her again isn't an option."

Jasper stared at her, curious as to when these thoughts had taken form because drawing conclusions like these required observation. Consideration . . . Intel. "Where's this coming from?"

Rosalie smirked and lay out on the blanket. "I know something you don't know." her voice a mocking sing-song tone that made his eyes narrow.

"What? What is it Rose? The man is my brother. I have to know so I can tease him mercilessly, you know this!"

She said nothing, amusement pouring off her. He reckoned Edward knew. He knew everything. Jasper spotted him on the craggy rock face with a few others. The telepath quickly climbed out of the way as Alice launched herself at him, fingers effortlessly holding onto the stone. Edward. Despite the distance, he heard him. Jasper watched his head turn, amber eyes meeting his curiously. What don't I know?

Edward grinned. "Can't tell." he mouthed.

Jasper looked to the shore, looking at his brother. He watched Emmett, took in the other's body language and demeanor. Anala was walking out of the water, pushing her wet hair out of her face and jasper found himself mentally complimenting Rose on the bathing suit she'd picked for the woman. Not only did the color compliment her warm skin and bright eyes but it definitely caught the attention of others. Jasper watched Emmett as he looked down at her, watched him smile as he carefully untangled her legs from the seaweed that caught them. Nothing seemed any different. Emmett adored his mate, just as he should. His gaze on her was ever vigilant, his emotions as loving as they had always been.

Was he missing something? Was there something he was supposed to be seeing here? It didn't seem so, but his sibling's reactions told him there was something left to be known. Jasper frowned.

Damn. How was he supposed to find out what was going on if the only ones in the loop refused to tell him?^