Jasper Hale stared at the skinny, brunette-haired girl who was resting inside the soft, white sheets Esme had brought for the bedroom not so long ago.

For the first time since leaving the southern vampire wars, the honey-blonde's emotions were spiralling out of control.

This tiny girl in front of him was his soulmate, the person he was meant to be with and the one he had been waiting for since defecting from Maria's army.

"Son," Jasper stiffened, his jaw clenching as he turned around to face the blonde doctor with eerie black eyes.

"I'm not going to hurt her. I just wanted to make sure that you're alright." Carlisle smiled kindly at the younger vampire, having already pieced together why Jasper reacted the way he did, and why he is already so protective of their sick guest.

Jasper swallowed, his guard relaxing as he turned to look at his soulmate once again, his black eyes slowly morphing back to liquid gold.

"What's wrong with her?" he asked hesitantly, the frozen heart which rested inside his rib cage now fearful that he would lose his soulmate before he even got the chance to properly meet her.

Carlisle's face matched the solemn emotion radiating from him and Jasper's face tightened in pain.

"Esme found her soaked to the bone, I'm hopeful that she's just coming down with the common cold. However, I'm more concerned for her in other ways."

Jasper turned to face Harriet once again, taking weightless steps towards the left side of the bed and reached for her face with a shaking hand. His father made no move to stop him as he gingerly moved a stray piece of her dark locks away from her cheeks and observed the fading scar on her forehead with concern.

"She's like me," he whispered with furrowed eyebrows after noticing the ugly, carven scar upon the back of her right hand as she unconsciously gripped the bed covers.

"She's a warrior too." Jasper breathed as he sat down in the grey armchair next to the bed, his mind reeling. He didn't have to feel her emotions to know even a hint of what this girl had been through. Her battle scars said it all.

"Let's just hope her time of fighting has been finished," Carlisle smiles kindly towards his son before asking him how he felt. Jasper knew immediately what his adopted father was trying to imply.

"Her scent doesn't bother me." he answered quietly before sighing, "I desire nothing more than to protect her, therefore I have no reason to want to kill her for her blood. She's my soulmate Carlisle, not my blood singer."

Carlisle nodded in understanding before striding over to his son and kneeling in front of him and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I'm happy for you, son."

Jasper smiles at his father gratefully, before a change in Harriet's breathing alerts them both. She was starting to wake up.

"Jasper–"

"I trust you, Carlisle. I know that she's in good hands." Jasper interrupted his father before soundlessly rushing from the armchair and leaving the room. It would be better if Harriet didn't see him in the room, he wasn't good at coming up with excuses on the spot.

The last thing he wanted to do was scare her as well, for he wasn't sure if he could hold back from telling her that she was his soulmate.

I had drifted within the grips of consciousness and sleep, my mind vaguely picking up the voices of two people having a conversation before my eyes slowly opened. I stared at the white ceiling above me again, this time holding a sense of irritation towards it.

Why did I have to go and get myself sick? I could feel it, the horrible taste in my mouth and the constant wanting to cough.

"Harriet, how are you feeling?" Carlisle asked. I made no move to sit up this time, too physically tired to do so.

"Awful, I feel awful." I mumbled before moving my hands from the covers to pressing them against my aching eyes.

Guilt quickly wrapped itself around my heart and squeezed it.

"I- I'm really sorry, Carlisle." I choke out, feeling the tears come to my eyes as everything felt like it was falling apart.

"Whatever for, Harriet?"

"I should be at home, not bothering you with my presence and risk spreading germs to the rest of your family."

"Now, I'll have none of that." Carlisle tutted and soon enough, I felt his cold hand press against my head again.

"I'm afraid you're stuck with us now, Harriet. You have a common cold, and if I'm correct, you've just moved into a house with no furniture."

"What of it?" I groaned, peeling my hands away from my eyes to see the blonde-haired man moving away himself. He takes a seat in the chair next to me.

"I'm officially adopting you as a patient, which means I think it would be an awful idea for you to sleep on the floor whilst you're ill."

A sigh slips out from between my lips. "I suppose you're right, I was dreading it myself and this bed is very comfortable."

I turn my head to the left, only for Carlisle to shoot me a perfect grin.

"Then it's settled, Esme and I will be taking care of you during your recovery. As for getting the family ill, I wouldn't worry too much about it. We are notoriously known for having good health."

"Fantastic, do you mind giving me some of your secrets? Because I do not want to be sick ever again."

A chuckle escapes the man and I can't help but smile slightly, however my brain quickly reminds me of the possibility that another person had been in here before I had fully woken up.

"Carlisle, was somebody else in here? Only, I'm sure I heard you speaking with another person and it didn't sound like Esme."

It's silent for a moment and I begin to feel awkward, wishing I hadn't asked.

"My son, Jasper, was just checking in to see if there was anything he could do for me whilst I waited for you to wake up. I have some medication you can take to help with the cold symptoms, providing you eat something first."

"Is that an indirect order for me to eat?" I eye him cautiously, before my stomach interrupts us.

The blonde doctor raised an eyebrow at me and I sighed, doing my best to sit up as lying down with my head in its current position was giving me a neck ache.

"Fine, I am hungry. Something small would be quite nice and then I can take that medication you're suggesting."

"That's more like it, do you have any requests? Esme is quite the cook, I'm sure she won't mind cooking whatever you'd like."

I smile slightly at the man as he gets up from the chair and walks towards the door, no doubt to let Esme know that I am hungry.

"Anything is fine, really." I answer honestly, and the blonde nods in response.

"Alright, I'll let her know."

"Thank you, Carlisle."

Carlisle smiles at me before exiting the room, closing the door behind him gently.

I sigh and run my fingers through my brunette locks, feeling bad for wondering when I'd be allowed to leave the Cullen household.

Don't get me wrong, they're lovely people, but I had such plans for my first week here. Instead, it seems I'll be spending my days in bed, fighting away a cold.

That's just what I need after finally defeating Voldemort and then making one of the biggest decisions of my life.

Note to self, when you live in Forks, make sure that you carry an umbrella every time you go outside.

Unbeknownst to me, this week would actually turn out to be the best in all of the eighteen summers I have survived, thanks to a few secrets being let loose and a whole new lot of memories being made.