Carlisle was finishing fixing Jasper's wounds when it happened.
He woke up.
And he didn't waste a second to lash out, kicking, hissing and shoving, forcing Carlisle onto the floor and pinning him down with his hand on his throat, fingers clasped in an iron grip.
Carlisle's reflexes kicked in, and he reached out to grab Jasper's wrists, but the second he did the second he felt a tsunami of absolute desperation hit upon him, a sense of utter doom that made his stomach twist and panic seize him, breath catching at the back of his throat.
And all of a sudden he found himself sinking into a pit of utter despair where his strength diminished and his resolve almost puffed out of existence.
What was this?
There was such ferocity in those reddish eyes, glazed over, unfocused, letting Carlisle know that regardless of what he said nothing would be able to get him to react.
And still, as the boy dove down with all the intent of biting he brought his arm up, wincing as fire flared on his forearm, feeling his teeth sink into his skin with such obliterating force he felt him touch the bone, rage written all over his face.
-Jasper? Jasper, I mean you no harm, you are safe here.- He called out, gritting his teeth as he felt his bone crack under the pressure of the bite, for someone who was meant to be weak he sure had quite the amazing bite force.
Alice had gone out to get Jasper clothes, something about needing to hide his scent, he had assured her it would be fine, now he wasn't so sure, he should have listened to her, he definitely shouldn't have underestimated him.
Suddenly, the door slammed open, Alice stood there with alarm and panic on her face, she was quick to get inside and close the door behind her, she was grabbing Jasper in less than a second, forcing him to release Carlisle as she did.
-Jasper, let him go, Carlisle is no threat to you.- Alice ordered, voice stern yet reassuring, she had been on the elevator when she had gotten the vision of Jasper attacking Carlisle.
She knew she shouldn't have left, she should have asked Carlisle instead to bring the clothes, and now… Jasper grabbed her arm and pulled her behind him, shielding her with his arm as he kept growling at Carlisle.
She could feel the hostility in the air like a thick blanket hell bent on obliterating the world down. She needed to calm him down, and so in calm she focused, comfort, reassurance, love, he was safe, safe, she kept her arms around his waist so as to prevent any other attack as she watched Carlisle stand up.
Jasper tensed in her hold, shaking his head and still growling and hissing at Carlisle.
-He means no harm, he's just confused right now, maybe if you step back, very slowly, it might help.- Alice said, meeting Carlisle's wide eyes, she could see the way his fingers flexed at her words, seemingly not comfortable with the idea of her being so close to Jasper right now when he was clearly not in his right mind.
He shook his head, refusing to bend down to the emotional signature hell bent of making him let his guard down.
Still, Carlisle took a step back, the action in itself eliciting another hiss from Jasper as this one tried to step forward, Alice's grip on his waist tightened, she couldn't let Jasper go, couldn't let him go anywhere near Carlisle, not now when he was so confused.
-It's alright.- She said, and she wasn't sure if she was saying it for Jasper, Carlisle or herself.
But Jasper kept still, and as Carlisle left she felt relief wash over, a relief that didn't last long for soon she heard Jasper make a funny noise, quickly, she let go of him and came to stand infront of him, his eyes were all over the place, and he stumbled a bit, she kept her grip tight on him.
Even more so when his eyes rolled back and he crumbled down, she barely managed to catch him, dragging him back to the bed, careful as she did, she wiped the venom off his mouth with her sleeve, sighing as she did.
This was so not what she had wanted for his first impression to be.
But it hadn't been his fault, it was a flight or fight response, Carlisle was a doctor, Jasper wouldn't be the first nor the last patient that woke up and lashed out that Carlisle's ever encountered. He couldn't be held accountable for what happened.
It hadn't been his fault.
Carlisle better than anyone would understand, the ones that might react well would be the others, that wasn't something she was looking forward to.
She caressed Jasper's cheek, leaning down just enough to deposit a soft kiss on his forehead, her thumb stroking his cheek.
It was alright, everything would be alright, or at least she hoped so.
~
Carlisle was waiting for Alice in his car, waiting for her to tell him if she needed anything else, or if he should leave, which he honestly didn't felt comfortable doing.
Not after what happened in that room, he knew it hadn't been Jasper's fault, Carlisle's dealt with his fair share of aggressive patients, but this wasn't a human, this wasn't even a regular vampire.
This was The Major, injured, vulnerable, he would be twice as dangerous to deal with right now, what if he hurt Alice? But he had also shielded her from Carlisle, Carlisle had never seen such ferocity in someone's eyes.
As weak and as out of his mind as he had been his first instinct hadn't been to run.
Not even to fight Carlisle.
The moment he realized Alice was in the same room as him he had taken it to protect her, putting himself as a shield despite the fact that he was in no condition to fight, and that… Carlisle had no idea what to do with that.
Jasper's known Alice for almost five months, and in a situation he believed to be dangerous he had been willing to put himself in the line of fire for her without hesitation… such devotion…
He hadn't even tried to break free from Alice's hold even though he could very much do so.
But that that he had felt… those emotions of devastation and doom… those hadn't been his, even now he could still feel a knot at the back of his throat, hands shaking despite the fact that he had gotten rid of the venom from the bite.
What had been that? He knew Jasper was an empath, but this… what even was this? Empaths could read emotions, and for what he had felt in the car ride this one could also broadcast his.
But this…
"The Major could obliterate entire armies without lifting a finger."
A particular sentence came back to him and he felt his stomach twist as realization hit, shivers running down his spine as his hairs stood on end.
God.
He knew exactly what had made Aro keep him.
What could obliterate entire armies without lifting a finger.
He could manipulate people's emotions, to a biological level if his still shaking hands were something to go by.
The Major had suddenly become even more dangerous than Carlisle ever gave him credit for.
And for a moment, an horrifying thought came to him.
Was he manipulating Alice?
But just as quick that horrible thought was gone, because no, Alice had said so herself, she's known about him since she first woke up as a vampire, the way she spoke about it, it was clear she had already been smitten by him way before meeting him.
But God, if his gift was truly that, if he could truly manipulate people's emotions, no wonder Aro had been so obsessed with hiding him, Carlisle's never heard of such a thing as that of an empath being capable of manipulating people's emotions, he didn't even knew such a thing was possible.
Such a rare gift… Carlisle had the feeling that Aro wouldn't let him go nor even give up his search, and he wasn't sure he would kill him, he might not even have that in mind.
For all Carlisle knew.
Aro might be planning on capturing him and locking him up until he could put a leash on him.
And he feared what lengths the man might be willing to go to achieve this.
~
Italy, Volterra. -
Alec's sitting at the edge of the roof, fingers twisting a Rubik cube around, this one had been modified, wielding the same green color with several shades that looked almost similar to the point where not many humans would ever be able to decipher how to make it.
It had simple thin white lines that when set right created a butterfly.
Jane had given it to him a long time ago, hoping to persuade him out of his videogames when he first took a liking to them.
He heard footsteps behind him, and he didn't even had to turn around to know who they belonged to, he would recognize those footsteps anywhere.
-Hello Jane.- He greeted when she kept quiet, he knew she wasn't a fan of this place, knew she hated when he sat up here.
But this had become his comfort place now that Jasper was gone, he had no one to play videogames with, no one to spare with, he had tried to get Marcus to play with him, but the guy just sat there and let him win, over and over and over again.
And Demetri had offered to spare with him when he caught him asking one of the newest guards.
Big mistake.
He had been too stupid on agreeing to that, he could still feel the burning ache on his elbow where Demetri had crushed it, he had managed to fix it on his own, and hide it from Jane, and Aro, and just about anyone.
If Jane found out she would go after Demetri, and if she went after Demetri Aro wouldn't be pleased, Demetri was essential right now, too essential to be indisposed because Jane decided to tear a limb off of him or do something else that would definitely end with the man being incapacitated.
And Aro… the man would want to know things, and then he would go into Alec's mind to see what had happened and what had led to it, and he would see the lies Alec's been telling about Jasper.
-What are you doing here?- Was the answer he got in return.
-Thinking.- He didn't bother to lie nor elaborate, because it was true, he was thinking, thinking about how it would be like to leave this place, to tear out past this elaborated jail.
He heard Jane approach, and soon, she was sitting beside him. He could feel her stare.
-About what?
-Freedom.- He dares to answer after a moment.
-... Freedom? From what?- She sounded genuinely confused, as if she couldn't tell what freedom did he meant, maybe it was just him the only one who felt like this place had grown suffocating?
-Here.
Silence.
And then.
-Here? What do you mean here?- Jane questioned.
-I mean here, don't you feel suffocated by this place?- He asks, because he wants to know if it's just him, or if she's also tired, but he doubts the latter.
-Alec, where has this come from?- Jane's voice isn't accusing, nor mad, just confused, and it makes a knot stick at the back of his throat. He tries to shrug nonchalantly, focusing even harder on the Rubik cube.
-Just wondering.- He says, regretting even voicing his doubts to begin with.
-Just wondering? Is this about Jor?- Now she does sound accusing, and Alec can't help but look at her, anger flickering in.
-No, this isn't about him, this is about us and how am I tired of this place.- He never thought saying that out loud would feel so liberating, like a taboo that shouldn't be spoken but that he still needed to get out before it ate him.
-This is our home.- Jane refutes, frowning at him, what was Alec saying? Tired of this place? This was their home.
-This is not our home.- Alec snaps, startling Jane.- We are weapons, same as Jor was, same as Chelsea is, same as everyone here is, we are weapons for Aro and Caius to use however they see fit.
-That's-
-And once we lose our value the same will be done to us. Or have you forgotten Didyme? She was his sister and he didn't hesitate to kill her once she stepped out of line. What stops him from killing us?
Me?
Is what Alec wants to say at last, because he wasn't stupid, he knew that if it came to it, Aro would kill Alec and keep Jane.
Because Jane was the one Aro loved the most. He saved Alec for Jane. At the end of the day, he could care less about him.
Everyone just saw Jane, never him, but Jasper had seen him, he saw him.
Alec wasn't jealous by any means, but he hated the why Jane got so much attention and praise. People didn't praise nor paid attention to her true self.
They praised and paid attention to the monstrous side Aro had nurtured her to become by taking advantage of her pain and anger.
No one saw the Jane who made paint out of flowers and made abstract art with it. No one saw the Jane who fed the stray cats and dogs at the back of the palace.
Not even the Jane who would turn away from the mother's begging for their daughters to be spared.
All they saw was the shield she had pulled up to protect herself. No one cares to.
But Alec saw her, and he knew she was still there, the sister he had loved so much was still there.
He didn't care where, he just wanted to leave with Jane, somewhere far away where no one could ever find them, just live on their own, near a river, Jane had liked dipping her feet into any body of water she could find when they were humans.
And he has always liked the sound of the river running.
But Jane would never leave. He knew this as she gave him that look that told him to stop thinking such problematic and dangerous things.
And he sighs.
He sighs because that's all he can do, he wonders when would she realize… that Aro didn't save them from the goodness of his heart but because he saw use in them.
That one day Aro would realize what Alec had hidden and he would kill him like he killed Didyme. And he would make Jane believe it was an accident or a murder the Volturi had nothing to do with.
Just like what he made Marcus believe about Didyme's death.
-He won't do such a thing, Didyme was useless.- Jane's voice caught his attention, she took one of his hands into her own, squeezing it lightly before their gazes met, her eyes suddenly growing hard.- We are not useless, Alec.
-Neither was she, she just wanted to leave with Marcus, but because Marcus' gift is useful Aro killed her to prevent Marcus from leaving, he killed his own sister for power. He's manipulating Marcus into being his lap dog through Chelsea. People become useless to him when they do something he doesn't like, it has nothing to do with gifts, personality or even the relationship he might have with this person.
Alright, Didyme's gift had been somewhat useless for the kind of powers Aro wanted, but Alec had truly enjoyed being around the woman, she had been nice, and everything Aro hadn't been, and thanks to her gift being around her always chased his demons away.
She had wanted to leave the Volturi and take Marcus with her, that was her crime, the reason for her to get killed, and now Marcus was nothing but a zombie, Aro's puppet, all because Chelsea had him in a tight grip.
And at times it terrified Alec the idea of Chelsea using her gift to manipulate him and Jane too, he knew Aro used her to keep Caius from attempting to overthrow Aro, Alec knew more things than he sometimes wished to.
He spent a lot of time sneaking down the halls and squeezing himself in the weirdest places possible, just to see if he could fit, that had led to him getting stuck in more places than he's willing to acknowledge, and getting stuck led to him overhearing conversations.
Conversations he knew Aro would have killed him off for long ago if he wasn't so loyal to the man.
That's how he knew about the vervain, about Didyme's death, about Chelsea's existence and gift, about Aro using Chelsea to keep Marcus and Caius under control.
He didn't even know why had Aro not made her control Jasper, or if she did, how did Jasper got free from it? Was it because of the bond he formed with that clairvoyant?
-So what? Doesn't mean he will kill us, he saved us, he's helped us a lot and he gave us a new home where we don't have to deal with stupid people.- Jane's voice pulled him out of his thoughts.- And we haven't done anything wrong, not before, not now, not ever, we are perfectly fine.
Alec bit back the urge to look away, guilt swelling up, he wouldn't be so sure about that.
He should have known he could never hide his expressions from Jane. He felt her grip on his hand tighten.
-We haven't done anything wrong, right?- She asked again, this time more firmly, eyes narrowing.
And he couldn't bring himself to answer, shame and guilt burning at the pit of his stomach.
-Alec?
Silence.
-Alec, what did you do?- Jane questioned, feeling something akind to a knot blooming in her chest, and when he still refused to even look at her she felt her dead heart drop.- Alec?
-I could discipline him as much as it was asked of me, I could give him the poisoned blood whenever I had to, and I could report back to Aro whatever abnormal things I caught him doing, but I couldn't let him become like Marcus.- Alec finally turned to look at Jane.- I didn't want him to become like Marcus, a zombie who does as told and has no personality whatsoever. I…
He couldn't bear to lose another friend.
-You know where Jor is.- Jane realized, and she had no idea how to feel when Alec looked away, the naked guilt in his eyes, he knew where Jor has been all along.
And that…
She clenched her jaw, fingers curling into fists as she released his hand, a feeling she isn't felt in centuries slicing right through her chest.
Pain.
And something awfully bittersweet.
She grabbed his arm, pulling him close enough so she could yell/whisper at him without anyone but him listening.
-Have you gone mad?! Why would you do something so stupid?!
-I'm sorry.
-An apology won't fix anything! Don't you see what you have done?! If Aro finds out-
-He will kill me.- Alec cuts off as a statement of fact, Jane frowned, feeling her anger waver momentarily over the unexpected words.
-What? No, I mean-
-Jane, he will kill me.- Alec cut off, he knew she refused to believe it to be true, but it was, he was like those singing squirrels from that stupid movie he once watched outside the TV's store, where people just cared about the one with the red hoodie while the green and the blue were the background support.
They could make the red one shine, but they weren't necessarily important, the red one could very much shine on its own without them.
Alec was important, he was the perfect addition for Jane, but Aro could be rid of him without suffering much, what did his gift do? Steal other people's senses? How stupid was that compared to inducing mind blowing pain or reading bonds? Forcing bonds. Manipulating emotions. Tracking people down with outstanding precision. Reading memories.
His gift was nothing compared to theirs.
-Of course not, don't be foolish.- Jane told, what was Alec talking about? Aro would never hurt Alec, he saved them, he gave them something, a home, a purpose, Aro saw the potential in Alec, he was strong and he was smart, killing him for a bit of a lie?
That was stupid.
Aro would never hurt Alec, he treasured him too much for that.
-Alec, you just have to show him the truth, and he will understand, he will let you off easily if you show him the truth by your own volition, you still have time, please-
-No.- Alec was as surprised as Jane with his own negative, at his own stubborn voice.
He had never contradicted Jane.
Ever.
-What?
-I said no, I won't let him become like Marcus.- Alec states, giving his sister a firm look.
-You would rather get hurt for that jerk than telling where he is?- Jane asks, disbelief clear in her voice.
-He's not bad, you know he isn't, he helped us before, and he never told anyone about it, didn't even use it against us.- Alec reminded her, Jane scoffed, scowling as she looked forward, glaring at the streets below them.
-You shouldn't trust that monster, he's like everybody else, he will stab you if you give him your back, and he won't hesitate to do so, do you think he cares about you? He played with you because he was afraid you would use your gift on him.
-That's not true.
-It isn't?
Alec couldn't answer at Jane's words, because what if she was right? What if all the time he spent with Jasper was nothing but fake?
But what if it was? He didn't care. He wasn't his friend, he just played with him because he was the only one willing to do so, so what if Jasper did it out of fear? At the end of the day it didn't matter, because Alec got a competent videogames' partner.
That's all he cares about.
Right?
-He's not your friend.- Jane's words caught his attention and he couldn't help but frown.
-I know that, I just don't want him to become like Marcus, what's so bad about that? Marcus used to be good company, but since Didyme died and Chelsea got hold of him… it's like a zombie, a robot. He's become stupid, he doesn't try at anything, he just follows orders and stands in a corner all depressed when he isn't.
Marcus had been great company, the man hadn't treated him like a child, he had taken him seriously, and he had been kind, respectful and patient.
He hadn't put high expectations on them nor expected them to act all perfect all the time as Aro did.
Now… now that Marcus was gone.
Had been so for centuries.
The idea of Jasper becoming that… he hates admitting it to be a terrifying thought.
-You remember how Marcus was, and how he is now. You can't tell me that's a fate Jasper deserves, no one does, to lose one's will and become nothing but a puppet.- Alec said, hoping to extinguish the anger in her gaze.
He knows Jane is mad, and hurt that he's seriously protecting Jasper.
But what else can he do? He doesn't know how, nor when, but he did care about Jasper not becoming a zombie.
He didn't want him to become like Marcus.
Not when he could stop it, this time, he wouldn't let Aro hurt someone like that, he owed the man everything, and he felt awful over doing this.
But he couldn't allow this.
-He never hurt you, and he helped us, you when we were most vulnerable, he could have left us to fend for ourselves until we became lucid again, there was no danger around anymore, but he didn't. Wouldn't this be a good way of paying him back?
More silence.
-Jane, you are my sister, and I love you, I would do anything for you, my loyalty is with you, but you can't ask me to give away someone who helped us, that wouldn't be right.
-What wouldn't be right would be getting hurt for him, so what if helped us once? We didn't ask him for help, even so, just because he helped once it doesn't mean you have to risk losing Aro's trust.
Alec scowled, why did Jane had to be so stubborn?
-Do you remember how Didyme would pick up flowers she liked the color of and bring them to you so you could use them to make paint? Or how Marcus was the one who taught us how to play chess? When has Aro ever done anything for us that doesn't fall on something he eventually needs or finds useful for himself?
-You are being foolish. Didyme was a traitor and Marcus an idiot. Aro took care of it, and what you say isn't true, he did teach us how to read, and write, and to hunt, and to use our gifts.- Jane told as a statement of fact.
Because it was true, Alec was saying things that weren't making sense, Didyme had been a traitor, trying to take Marcus away, abandoning her brother in the name of "happiness", even if that meant leaving her bother when he most needed her.
Jane had liked Didyme, she had been the first person she ever dared to trust decades after becoming a vampire, the first person aside from Alec she dared to be open around.
The woman's gift had been… comfortable to be around, a bit unnerving and irritating at first, but ultimately comfortable, she had been kind and had praised Jane's paintings, would paint alongside her sometimes or just bring her flowers with nice colors to paint with, she had been the one to choose the clothes' designs Jane wore even now.
She never treated her like a child nor a freak, she didn't fear her, but she respected her and her boundaries, she didn't stick her nose into things that weren't her business nor did she attempt to fake understanding or politeness.
She had been real, kind, good.
But then she went on and decided to leave with Marcus, Jane had never felt as betrayed as she had done that night when Didyme first told her about her plans, one thing Jane never told a soul.
Not even Alec.
Was that Didyme had asked her if she didn't want to come with them, that Alec and her would be better off in a less "political and corrupted" life, that this place wasn't what they needed, whatever the hell had that meant.
Jane of course had refused, shouting at her and kicking her out of her room.
That had been the last time she saw Didyme alive.
Jane had resented her for a long time, even now she did, because how could she wish to leave? Aro might not be the kindest and most affectionate person in the world, but the man was smart, effective and kind.
He had been her brother, he had needed her.
And she wanted to leave him.
She had been a traitor.
Anyways, Aro would never do something he didn't need to, he killed Didyme because she betrayed him, that was fine… right? I mean, if Aro did it it had to be fine, because as stated before, he would never do something unnecessary.
Right?
-He did all those things because he needed us to be useful. And all Didyme wanted was freedom and happiness, how can that be betrayal?
-I don't know. He knows what he does and the reason for it.- Jane refuted, crossing her arms over her chest, biting her cheek, why did Alec had to keep on insisting? Why couldn't he just accept that this was crazy and that he seriously should tell Aro the truth before it was too late?
-What if I wanted to be free and happy?
Alec's unexpected words caught Jane's attention and she turned to look at him.
-What?
-Would you kill me if I wanted freedom and happiness?- He questioned, Jane stared at him.
And stared.
An indecipherable look on her face.
-Alec-
-Would you?- Alec cut off, holding her gaze, Jane stared at him.
And then.
-Of course not.- She ended up saying, eyes growing unusually soft.- You are everything I have left, I would never hurt you, much less for wanting freedom and/or happiness, that's…- Jane felt like she was starting to see Alec's point regarding Didyme's treason.
And still.
Something else took her full attention.
-Do you not feel happy or free here?- She questioned, needing to know.
But all she got was silence.
And Alec refusing to look at her, he was now looking down at the Rubik cube between his hands, turning pieces absently, as if aiming to ignore her question.
He was very wrong if he thought she would drop it.
-Alec?
More silence.
She took the Rubik cube from him.
And when he still refused to look at her she leaned forward, tilting her head just enough to look at him.
-Alec talk to me. I can't know what to do if you won't tell me what's wrong. Do you not feel happy and/or free here?
-... No…
Was the ultimate answer she got, nothing but a whisper.
She frowned.
-I don't know when it happened, nor even when it began, I just… I'm tired of being ordered around, of having to worry about my image, of seeing you be ordered around, I'm tired, of Aro, of Caius, of Demetri, of Felix, of everyone and everything regarding Volterra. I just want it all to be over.
Jane didn't answer.
It was clear Alec had been sitting on this for quite a while, how come hadn't he said nothing about it until now?
But even if she wondered that she also had her answer.
Alec would never do a thing if he thought it might upset her, he was the kind of idiot who would keep quiet about whatever was upsetting him just to please her and not get a potentially negative reaction from her, it frankly irritated her greatly, he had become like that ever since becoming a vampire.
It was up to her to find out things on her own or through others, like when Demetri told her that he was playing videogames with Jor, or when Marcus told her Alec had locked himself in his room after Caius called him "freak".
That was a word Alec hated as much as Jane did.
It brought bad memories.
And she had made sure to remind Caius what a "freak" could do. Had used her gift on him until Didyme had to practically drag her away.
She knew the why he was so… like that, it was because he felt responsible for what happened that day even though Jane's told him it wasn't over a hundred times.
And because he felt responsible he felt like the least he could do was keep quiet and do whatever she asked of him or not cause trouble for her or others.
It made her want to smack him sometimes.
Still.
The idea that he didn't like this place that had been like a home for them for centuries… what did he want? To leave? Where to? And that wasn't even the most important question.
The most important question was.
What would Aro think?
He hadn't reacted well to Carlisle leaving.
Nor Eleazar.
Nor even Didyme's and Marcus' attempt.
Much less Jor, though that one was a completely different issue altogether, he just disappeared, a deserter, traitor.
But if Carlisle and Eleazar could do it surely they could too, right? Aro would never keep them against their will, he cared about them a great deal regardless of what Alec said, in his own way, he wouldn't be pleased, but he would allow it.
And it wasn't like Jane couldn't visit, Aro was her friend, he had saved her and Alec, he had seen their potential, had seen them, she would always owe him, would always be grateful, she could never forget him.
Didyme died because she wanted to leave Aro in a moment of great need, when the Volturi were struggling to set order around the vampire world.
But there were no such issues now.
Just the Jor issue.
Once that was dealt with there would be no more obstacles to bring up the idea to Aro, they could get a house in Italy, maybe close to the coast, away from those stupid humans, she could still visit Aro everyday, and Alec would be away from the Volturi as he wanted.
It was a win win.
-I guess we could bring it up to Aro, but Alec, we should first deal with Jor, we can't leave when he's still on the run and the Volturi are in such tight situation, it wouldn't be right. You want to leave? You have to tell Aro where Jor is first, then I'm sure he will be more open to the idea.- Jane told as a statement of fact.
Alec wiped his head around to look at her, he had certainly expected her to put more resistance, to yell a bit even, but what she said was preposterous, Aro would never allow them to leave, she was mad if she truly thought that was remotely possible.
He wouldn't give Jasper away for something he knew was doomed, Aro would say that he agreed just to get Alec to tell him where Jasper was, and when he had him, he would then kill Alec and lie to Jane so as to keep her around.
Just like he did with Marcus.
He refused to let Aro kill him, he didn't want to die, much less if that meant leaving Jane with that man, and if he died, she would be heartbroken, it terrified him beyond measure the idea of what Aro might turn her into if he used Alec's death to fuel whatever emotions she might develop from the loss.
Jane felt strongly, that's how she's always been, Aro wouldn't hesitate to turn her into more of a weapon than she already was through this.
Alec would rather be a slave for eternity than let that happen.
Thus.
He shoved back all his emotions and gave her his best reassuring smile.
-Don't worry about it, I know this is our home, I would never actually leave, and I know you love this place, I can't possibly ask you to drop it all, and I guess it would be… boring to leave.- He added at last.
Even if it was a lie.
Because he truly wished he could leave this place.
-Jor-
-He doesn't deserve to be here, he wanted to be here before, now he doesn't, is that a crime in itself? He did nothing wrong, not really, he isn't broken any laws, where's the harm in just letting him be? Please?
He wanted Jane to drop this Jasper issue altogether. He didn't want to keep on talking about this.
She frowned at him, he could see she was struggling to come to terms with his request, he absently rubbed at his elbow, Jane grabbing it earlier had hurt quite a lot, but he's never been one to show his pain, showing pain was for the weak.
He wasn't weak.
Not anymore. Never again.
He would get back at Demetri, he didn't knew how, but he would, if the man thought he could hurt him under the guise of an accident he had another thing coming.
Because one thing people failed to remember was that he and Jane held the exact same edge, her anger and reactions towards threats were explosive and abrasive.
His were quiet and deadly.
He would show Demetri what happened when he pissed him off. Alec was not defenseless, he might be small, might be condemned to be an eternal tween which at times could be quite frustrating when attempting to get people to not treat him like a child.
But he could still protect himself very well, he didn't always need Jane to protect him, he could be just as dangerous as her, and Demetri would learn this fact very soon.
Meanwhile, Jane couldn't help but bite her tongue, she wanted to convince Alec to tell Aro the truth, it wasn't right to lie to him, she was loyal to Aro.
But she was more loyal to Alec.
She had no idea what was it with him, Jor wasn't his friend, why did he care about what became of him? But she could also understand why he wanted to hide the truth from Aro.
Sort of.
And while she hated Jor, she couldn't bear to upset Alec, thus, she ended up sighing in defeat.
-Alright.- The words left a bitter taste in her mouth, she didn't like lies, much less telling them, even more less to tell them to Aro.
But Alec came first.
He would always come first.
Yes.
Even first than Aro.