Ok, let's meet the Cullens!

thanks for all the adds, but… reviews are nicer…

twilight belongs to SM

3

Jasper's POV

Alice led the way to the spacious first floor living area where the other three vampires were waiting. I kept my mind carefully blank, judging this situation to be some kind of parley in enemy territory.

From across the room three faces stared at me with curiosity. A small slight woman with caramel-coloured hair and kind eyes took one look at my scars and hid behind a blond vampire whom I knew to be the leader, Carlisle. The other male, a boy of about seventeen with reddish messed up hair, gazed into my eyes intently as if he wanted to look into the depth of my soul. I mistrusted him instantly, and decided to send some trust out to those people who were clearly in the advantage here, at least as far as numbers were concerned. They did not look like fighters, but you never knew, so I stayed tense and alert.

The leader checked with the other male and acknowledged me with a nod. "I'm Carlisle. We are not about to attack you, so you can calm down."

"His name is Jasper", said Alice, "and he's going to be part of this family. I knew he would be coming soon."

"How did you know that?" I was wondering by now if she was a bit… deranged.

The boy across the room smiled at me at that moment, but Alice simply turned to me and said. "Well, I've been expecting you since you decided to come up here."

Ah, so they were a coven with some gifted people as well. I grinned crookedly. "Sorry to have kept you waiting, Ma'am."

"Jasper, my name is Carlisle, this is my mate Esme and my son Edward. I believe you already know the rest of my family." When I nodded, he continued. "We are quite a bit different from the rest of our kind; we live off animal blood and don't kill humans. That enables us to lead an almost normal life." My face must have been projecting keen interest, because he continued animatedly. "The more you abstain from human blood, the easier it is to interact with humans and lead a settled life."

"There is another way of life for our kind?" Christmas had just come early. I had been fed up with all the killing and violence for a long time. Was that kind-eyed man actually offering a way out of this hell? A normal life with a family of sorts and a mate?

He smiled and nodded. "Yes, there is. It's not easy, especially in the beginning, but if you would like to try it, we could offer you a chance…"

Rosalie cleared her throat.

"Yes, Rosalie?"

"He is a fighter, look at his scars, he's wild. I know Alice says you can trust him, but this is going a bit fast for me. He was about to kill me half an hour ago."

Great, just like the rest of my existence. I had just ruined my chances. In contrast to all other vampire groups I had come across so far, this one was held together by love, not terror or hatred. Another lost chance. I looked down in shame, until I heard another voice.

"He doesn't like killing, he actually hoped you would just run away after you had seen his scars, and he was defending himself against you after you had come to defend Emmett."

Huh? That was exactly what I had been thinking a moment ago. I looked into Edward's eyes and saw a slightly smug smile there.

"Edward's right, Rosie, Jasper gave fair warning", Emmett told his wife, "and if Alice thinks he would fit in, I wouldn't mind another brother." His smile was open and hearty, and this time I took his outstretched hand.

"Perhaps you should let him say something himself", Esme said quietly. She was still keeping close to her mate, but her eyes weren't filled with fear anymore. She was acting like a worried mother or host who wanted to make someone feel at home.

I swallowed. "If you're willing to let me try this, I would be very happy. I am indeed sick of killing; I never knew there was another way…"

Carlisle came toward me with outstretched hands. "Welcome to the family then, Jasper."

"We'll find a room for you, and I'll help you do it up", said Esme, her face glowing with anticipation.

"He could pass as Rosalie's twin", Alice said. "Then he would be in school with Emmett and her for only a few months until graduation, to try it so to speak."

"Mm, and we'll have to think of some kind of legend why you came so late", Edward mused, looking at me again in his inquisitive way.

You can read my thoughts, can't you? I thought, returning his stare.

He nodded.

OK, here was one to be wary of, especially as I'm a distinctly private person. I knew I would have to give them something about my past, but I wanted to make sure I was the one who decided what.

"How does the animal blood thing work?" I asked to deflect attention from my person.

Emmett grinned. "I can show you. In effect, you simply hunt down your prey and feed. We go to National Parks sometimes for carnivores, which last longer; otherwise the forests around here are full of deer and the occasional moose."

"What do you prefer?" I asked.

His grin became even wider. "Bears, grizzly if possible. Edward likes mountain lions best, while Rosie goes after wildcats."

"I see. What do you do with school when the weather is sunny?"

"We ditch!" Alice said. "I'm quite useful as a weatherman, so I can tell beforehand. In any case you don't have to worry about that a lot up here, it's mostly rainy. Sunny days are excellent for hunting."

"How is your school experience?" Edward asked after a quick exchange with Carlisle. I made a mental note that they seemed to be quite close and that Edward had probably picked up something from Carlisle to prompt this line of questioning.

"Ok – for the nineteenth century, but I'm a fast learner."

"Spanish?"

"No problemo." I had learned that early on in my new existence with Maria.

"Good."

The rest of the evening passed with more organisational discussion and trying to get to know each other better. I liked Carlisle immediately – he seems a thoroughly good man. The same goes for Emmett. I'm not sure about Rosalie: She looks like a vapid fashion doll, but I think she is very bright and alert, not the warmest type of person. Edward is… very young, I think, and quite full of himself. Esme obviously likes the role of the mother of this family, but I'm not yet sure if I'll let myself be mothered after more than 150 years on my own. Alice? No idea, but I'm sure she'll find some way to be alone with me soon; I can sense a lot of desire and curiosity from her.

How do I find a gentlemanly way to explain to her that I'm not really interested, that is, that I have a mate? I don't want to give away anything about Bella and the purpose of my stay yet.

Carlisle's POV

It looks like I've acquired a new son. We had been aware of another vampire in the vicinity for some days, and tonight Emmett, Rosalie and Alice have brought him home.

Jasper must have gone through hell from the way he looked. His scars show that he has survived either an awful lot of horrible torture or quite a lot of fights. His whole demeanour was that of a soldier, so I think he's one of the few survivors of the vampire wars. His Southern accent also points in this direction. If he has left that life and not gotten involved with the Volturi, he is obviously not interested in power, and I had the impression of a very sensitive, quite probably pained and depressed young man who wants a different life, which was why I signalled to Edward not to go prying into his past. He will tell us what we need to know once he has opened up a bit more, and for now I'm quite sure he is no danger to our family. Apart from that Alice seems very taken with him, she is quite enthusiastic, and I only hope he shares that, or he will have a hard time.

He went out hunting with Emmett and Edward for two hours and came back with some amber flecks in his previously red eyes, looking quite optimistic. Afterwards he left to get his car and half an hour later he came in again carrying a duffel bag and a guitar case. I smiled when I saw that – another musician in the house.

Esme must have had the same thought – she had the same wide grin – and took my hand to lead him to the room she had assigned to him. She wasn't confident about being alone with him yet, I could feel that, but she didn't want him to feel hurt.

Alice had insisted about him staying in her rooms, but I had told her to give him time.

"But he is going to be with me, I've seen it!" She protested.

"That might be right, but let's not overwhelm him. Just give him time."

She had retreated to her fashion magazine with a pout, and Rosalie rolled her eyes.

In the early hours Jasper knocked on my study door. "Carlisle? Can I have a word?"

"Yes, come on in", I pointed to one of the comfortable leather chairs Esme had found for my room. "Were you all right with the hunt and the room?"

"Of course. And thank you, the room is really nice. I… like my privacy, and Emmett said you usually work it out so that everybody has enough room to withdraw."

"Can't have it any other way, not with our kind", I smiled.

"As for the hunt: I just… it feels stupid now, but I just never thought about that possibility. I thought I was trapped in all this killing and the fear and horror…" He had that tense look on his face again, and I sensed that he might be ready to open up a little.

"You have been depressed for a long time."

He nodded, and suddenly I could feel a wave of sadness and depression hit me, coupled with self-loathing and terror. "Do you have any …talents?"

He shook his head. "Yes, I'm an empath. I can feel other people's feelings. I felt the fear and anger of everyone I've killed and fought. Now you have shown me a possibility out of that, for which I thank you."

I acknowledged his speech with a nod, but was sure that he had another thing he wanted to talk to me about, so I waited patiently.

He cleared his throat. "I've been thinking. Maybe it would be better, if I was in class with Alice and Edward. With their gifts they could keep me in check before I wreak havoc in such close proximity to humans. I know it would mean a longer time, and we would have to come up with something to explain why I'm a junior when I'm quite obviously older, but…"

I waved off his worries. "Let us do that for you, we have a lot of routine that way."

He looked relieved. "I had hoped that. Thank you for taking me in, Carlisle. Friends are hard to come by in this existence."

At least he opened up a little. I think Esme will be happy about that as well as about having another son to fuss about. I will have to remind her though that he has been fending for himself for quite a long time.