hello friends! in today's episode, guin FINALLY gets her fucking pizza rolls but at the cost of some of Bella's bad luck, jasper is a hypocritical asshole, edward is both an asshole and a fool in equal measure, and charlie and esme are the only good people in this world. oh, and plot.
have like, over 11k words friends. chapter 4 will hopefully be up next saturday but don't quote me on that - end of the school year shenanigans have me busier than usual. dont forget! you can find more goodies at .com ! if it sucks i'm sorry i didn't get to edit it as much as i wanted. please let me know what you thought! and enjoy lovelies *heart*
also, all my love to my real-life friend rachel (who does not read this and hopefully never will) who actually knows latin + helped me figure out the latin you see later in the chapter. forgive any typos, i haven't edited this properly
at some point i'll be able to get all my notes in before updating the chapter - in this chapter, i play fast and loose w/the canon vampire biology bc that shit sucks, and also carlisle is solidly like 28-30 because him being 23 is suspicious and also smeyer has some weird thing about getting older/growing up SO. we're not doing that nonsense. i think i got everything now. do please enjoy! all my love xx
(updated as of 04/04/2022)
The next morning, Guin woke up disoriented and confused. She had had the strangest dream, and it seemed to linger as she woke.
Trying to shake off the dream, although not doing a very good job, she sat up in bed. The light was strange — somehow clearer than yesterday. When she looked out the window, she saw it was clear of fog. She stumbled out of bed, her legs freezing in her nightdress, and ran over to the window.
To her absolute delight, everything was covered in a fine layer of fluffy white snow. The trees were dripping with frost and icicles, looking otherworldly in the winter light. She knew in the room next door, Bella was probably despairing.
Guin hummed in giddy excitement, taking a few moments to bounce around her room, shaking out her hands. She loved the snow and the ice and the cold and all of the things that came with it - ice skating and Christmas and snowball fights and sparkling lights. Christmas had passed, and she was sure that the snow would pass soon, as well, but she would enjoy it all as much as she could until then.
She was feeling more modern than usual, and so she picked out a silver knitted sweater, and a dark green circle skirt. Underneath it, she wore a pair of wool tights, and two of her shorter, smaller wool petticoats. She pulled on a pair of black fur-lined boots, and made sure to grab her cloak, gloves, scarf, and earmuffs before going downstairs.
When she was downstairs, she made herself some toast and eggs, and a cup of tea. She had to turn around and rush back upstairs to grab the backpack she forgot before she and Bella left, with Bella laughing at her the entire way.
The driveway was frozen over. She was quite proud of Bella when she managed to make it to the truck without falling, although there was one close call.
Bella drove slowly to school, giving Guin ample time to ponder on her strange dream. The more she thought about it, the more disoriented and strange she felt — as if she wasn't entirely there in the moment. And yet, she found she couldn't stop thinking about it. Maybe she'd finally watched Little Women too many or something.
When she and Bella arrived at school, Guin tried to clear her mind again, wanting to focus on the day ahead. Sliding out of the truck, she crossed to where Bella was standing at the back end of it. Glancing down, she saw what had caught her sister's attention: Charlie had gotten up early to put snow chains on the truck.
Guin felt her chest bloom with love and appreciation, and had to blink back the tears suddenly pooling in her eyes.
"Guinevere!" she heard Jasper call out, and turned her head to smile and wave at him. He was jogging across the parking lot towards her, sturdy boots keeping him from slipping on the ice. He was about halfway to them, when Guin heard an odd sort of sound.
It was a high-pitched screech, and it was becoming painfully loud. Guin turned her head around, almost too slowly, to see where it was coming from.
Guin saw several things, all happening at once. It was all moving too suddenly, too fast to really keep up, especially when Guin already felt distant from her body.
She saw Jasper, two cars down from her and staring at her in terrified horror. What really caught her attention, though, was the dark blue van, skidding towards her and her sister, tires locked and squealing against the breaks, spinning wildly across the ice of the parking lot.
It was going to hit the corner of the truck — right where she and Bella were standing.
For a half second, Guin could do nothing. And then, her instincts seemed to kick in — she turned sharply, and shoved Bella out of the way. She could hear Bella yelp, and the sound of her falling, but it was of no importance — the van was still coming and she couldn't move and didn't have the time.
Just before she heard the shattering, sickening crunch of the van folding around the truck bed, something painfully hard and unusually cold slammed into her. She felt a hand curl around the back of her head, and a heavy body curling around hers protectively. She felt her back and hips slam into the icy blacktop, and the wind was knocked out of her.
Disoriented, she could see the van sliding again — skidding towards her and Bella and whoever was holding her. The body shifted suddenly, large hands dropping her and crossing her vision, the sound of something hard slamming into the side of the van. When she looked over through her blurred vision, she saw Jasper, his shoulder shoved into the side of the van where there was a large dent. She watched him pick up her legs, and swing them around as if she weighed nothing — before the car dropped heavily, settling on the asphalt right where her legs had been less than a second before. A single, frozen second passed — and then the screaming started.
Suddenly, Guin realized quite sharply that she couldn't breathe.
She choked, struggling to gasp in a breath against her frozen lungs — Jasper's head snapped around to face her, and immediately he was hunched over her again, one hand cradling the back of her head protectively.
She tried to suck in another breath, but it caught harshly in her throat, and she could hear Jasper's soothing, warm voice in her ear, although it was strained.
"Breathe, Guinevere, breathe. You need to breathe, you silly girl, breathe."
As if he held command over her, she suddenly sucked in a sharp, painful gasp — and then proceeded to immediately begin coughing and hyperventilating. She could hear Bella, a few feet away, asking desperately after her, but all she could see was Jasper's face before hers and his warm golden eyes.
"You need to slow down. Deep breaths, darlin', deep breaths. Breathe with me, okay? In and out, in and out, steady, steady…"
She could feel her breaths returning back to normal, and realized she had clutched onto his shirt. Bella, who was beginning to sound desperate and rather terrified, called out her name. Guin cleared her throat.
"I'm alive," she croaked, and Jasper made a soft shushing sound, pulling her tighter against his chest. He held her against him tightly, like he was terrified that if he let go, she'd disappear. He buried his face in her neck, breathing in ragged, pained breaths.
Guin swallowed again. She.. she was sure that Jasper had been too far to get to her in time. And.. and she saw him lift that van — saw him slam his shoulder into it to stop it. She knew, somehow, that he had caused that dent.
She clutched him tighter. "Jasper…"
"Shh, darlin', shh. I'll explain it all later, okay? I swear, but right now I need to hold you or else I'm gonna lose it. Please," he croaked, and Guin burrowed her face deeper into his shoulder. Vaguely, Guin could hear people yelling and crying and speaking, and she could hear Bella speaking behind her, another musical voice responding (Edward, maybe?), but she couldn't quite make out what they were saying. All she could focus on was the man holding her against him, desperately — as if he couldn't bear to part from her.
Suddenly, Guin realized that she almost died.
In a few seconds, she almost died. And suddenly, she felt terrified tears welling in her eyes, and she let out a choked sob into Jasper's shoulder. He shuddered above her, pressing her closer to him and more into the icy blacktop (how was it, that she was only just realizing that her back was frozen?).
"Shh, darlin', please don't cry, please don't cry. You're safe now, I've got you, it's okay. Nothing will hurt you now, I swear it. It's okay, it's okay…"
He continued murmuring soft, soothing nonsense into her ears, and after a few moments of choked, terror-filled sobs, she managed to settle herself some.
By the time the van was moved far enough away to bring in the stretchers — it took six EMTs and two teachers to move it — Guin had sat up, still tucked into Jasper's chest protectively. Edward had ended up caged in with them, somehow. Guin didn't ask. Her hip hurt, a sharp, stabbing pain, although she felt calmer. Her panicked sobs had settled, and she didn't feel quite as disoriented as she had earlier. The pain in her hip seemed to help force the disorientation away, and she had to sit strangely in Jasper's lap to take pressure off the joint.
Before the EMTs got in with the stretchers, Guin murmured against his neck, "Can I please walk?" She didn't want anyone else touching her - didn't want to leave Jasper's grasp, even if it was a foolish decision.
"Yes," Jasper breathed, and tightened his grip on her.
Guin watched, feeling somewhat distant, as Bella was loaded onto a stretcher and forced into a neck brace. Even as strange as she felt, although she was calming rapidly, she could still find the humor in forcing Bella to be on the stretcher. She was positively pouting.
She heard Jasper politely refusing the stretcher for both of them, and then helped her stand up, steadying her when she stumbled. They walked out towards the ambulances, although she found that the sharp, piercing pain in her hip caused her to limp awkwardly. It hurt to walk, and she realized maybe she should've taken that stretcher as she leaned heavily on Jasper. Charlie arrived just before she could get into the ambulance with Bella, Jasper still holding her close.
"Bella! Guin!" he yelled in panic. Guin felt her eyes filling with tears again.
"Daddy," she choked, and Charlie ran forwards to gather her into his arms. She clutched tightly onto his shirt. He looked over at Bella, worried.
"I'm completely fine, Char — Dad," she sighed. "There's nothing wrong with me."
Charlie, Guin still clutched in his arms, turned to one of the EMT's for a second opinion.
Guin could feel her anxiety raising wildly, her heart pounding and her throat closing in distress. She reached out blindly, wiggling her fingers, and Jasper was grabbing onto her hand immediately. She could feel the anxiety receding.
When she looked around, her eyes fell on the other three Cullen's. They were staring at her in worry — Alice especially. She was clutching onto Emmett's arm, looking positively devastated. Even Rosalie had subtle worry etched across her features.
Charlie suddenly seemed to notice the tall boy standing next to them, clutching his daughter's hand like a lifeline.
"And who is this?" he asked rather sharply. Guin squeezed Jasper's hand.
"Jasper Hale, sir," Jasper replied, although he didn't extend a hand for a shake. They were both rather occupied at the moment.
"Jasper… pulled me out of the way of the van," Guin whispered. "He saved my life, daddy."
Immediately, she felt Charlie relax. He sent Jasper an appreciative look. "Thank you," he said, sincerely.
"Anytime, sir."
Finally, Charlie had to let Guin go. Jasper immediately replaced him, curling his arm around her shoulders and pulling her into his chest. She and Jasper loaded into the back of the ambulance, sitting squished together. Guin spent the ride with her face shoved into Jasper's chest — she got carsick easily, and now she felt nauseous on top of everything else.
The ambulance got a police escort to the hospital, of course. When they arrived, Jasper helped Guin out of the ambulance. When she stumbled and gasped at the pain radiating from her hip, Jasper scooped her up easily, cradling her against his chest. He carried her into the emergency room, settling her carefully onto a bed beside Bella. He sat next to her on the edge of the bed, one arm draped across her waist and the other holding tightly to her hand.
Guin was much more agreeable than Bella despite the pain — she let the nurse take her blood pressure and temperature without much fuss. When the nurse frowned a bit after the temperature reading, Guin spoke up. "I have a low baseline. My normal temp is around 96.5."
The nurse nodded, and sent her a smile before leaving. Guin watched in smothered amusement as Bella took the neck brace off and threw it under the bed.
"I was wondering when you'd ditch that."
"Ha ha, you're hilarious."
"Aren't I, though?"
Their banter was interrupted when there was another rush of hospital personnel, and another stretcher was rolled in. Guin could recognize Tyler Crowley beneath the bloodstained bandages wrapped tightly around his head. He was in her Biology class.
Beside her, Jasper tensed.
"Bella, Guin! I'm so sorry!"
"I'm fine, Tyler — you look awful, are you alright?" Bella asked, as the nurses began unwinding the soiled bandages, revealing a myriad of shallow cuts all over his forehead and left cheek. Jasper's grip on Guin's hand tightened, and he brought her hand up to his mouth, pressing his lips to the back of it. Guin touched his side, concerned.
"Jasper?"
"Blood… distresses me," he says slowly against her skin. She nodded, and shifted her good leg to press against his side, trying to stay calm and relaxed. She figured it wouldn't help anyone if she freaked out, too.
Tyler Crowley spoke again, sounding distressed. "I thought I was going to kill the two of you!" he cried, looking between Bella and Guin. "I was going too fast, and I hit the ice wrong, and…" He winced as one of the nurses began dabbing at his face.
"Don't worry about it, you missed me," Bella said. Guin just sent him a tight smile.
"How.. How did you get out of the way so fast? You were there, then you were gone," he asked, looking between the two girls.
"Well… Guin pushed me, and then Edward grabbed me, but…" Bella said, frowning back at her sister.
"Edward?" Crowley asked.
"Edward Cullen — he was standing next to me," Bella lied, rather poorly.
"Cullen? I didn't even see him… It all goes by so quickly. Is he okay?"
"I think so," Bella said.
"Jasper pulled me out of the way," Guin said, plainly. Thankfully, she was a better liar than her sister. "He was standing next to me — he had come by to say good morning. Lucky for it, too."
Jasper squeezed her hand, and Tyler looks surprised, as if he's only just noticed him. "Are you okay? You didn't get hurt, either?"
"No harm done," Jasper says, rather curtly.
After that, they took Bella away for X-rays, and told Guin that after Bella, she'd have to get her hip checked, just to be sure it wasn't serious.
X-rays went fine, although they did find out that she had a hairline fracture in her hip — the doctor would have to come and look at it to be sure it wasn't too serious. When she was rolled back to the ER, Jasper was waiting in the hallway, staring hard at the wall across from him. He looked handsome, serious, dignified - arms behind his back and shoulders squared and chin lifted. He looked over at the sound of the wheelchair they used to move her, and she waved a little. His expression turned worried.
"Are you alright?"
"Hairline fracture in my hip. It shouldn't be too serious, but they want the doctor to check it out anyway."
Regret passes over Jasper's face quickly, although he falls into step beside her anyway as the nurse rolls her back to her bed. Bella looked at her, worried.
"You're lucky, Bells — I have a hairline fracture in my hip."
"Oh, bummer," she muttered, and Guin sent her a grin.
"This just means you get to cater to my every wish for the next few weeks."
"Suddenly, I no longer feel sympathetic. How funny."
Bella let her eyes close, while Jasper settled on the side of Guin's bed again, holding her hand to his lips. She let out a sigh, and let her eyes slip closed, too, trying to block out the sound of Tyler mumbling his apologies.
"Is she sleeping?" a musical voice asked. Guin blinked her eyes open, turning to see Edward standing at the foot of Bella's bed, smirking at her.
"Hey, Edward, I'm really sorry," Tyler started, but Edward held up a hand with a smile.
"No blood, no foul," he said, and looked over at Guin. Worry crossed his face. Guin decided she liked him just a little more now. "And Guin, are you alright?"
"I have a hairline fracture in my hip. Honestly, all I want to do right now is go home, and eat a bunch of pizza rolls, and take some pain meds, and rewatch Little Women. Or Pride and Prejudice."
Edward let out a musical laugh, and she could feel Jasper smile against her hand. Edward turned back to Bella. "So, what's the verdict?" he asked.
"There's nothing wrong at all, but they won't let me go," Bella complained. "How come you aren't strapped to a gurney like the rest of us?"
"It's all about who you know," he answered, a playful tone in his voice. "But don't worry, I came to spring you."
Guin snorted.
Then a doctor walked around the corner. Guin's eyebrows raised. He was young — late twenties, probably, maybe early thirties, and exceedingly handsome. Like, unfairly so. He was pale, though, and tired looking — there were dark circles under his eyes.
This must've been Dr. Cullen, the Cullen patriarch.
"So, Miss Swan," Dr. Cullen said. His voice sounded like… well, Guin wasn't sure whathis voice sounded like, but it was as attractive as the rest of him. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine," Bella repeated, sounding somewhat frustrated. Dr. Cullen walked to the light board on the wall above Bella, and turned it on.
"Your X-rays look good," he said. "Does your head hurt? Edward said you hit it pretty hard."
"It's fine," Bella grumbled, scowling at Edward. Guin laughed softly.
The doctor's fingers probed lightly around Bella's skull. He noticed when she winced.
"Tender?"
"Not really."
Edward chuckled, and sent Bella a patronizing glance. She glared at him again.
"Well, your father is in the waiting room - you can go home with him now. But come back if you feel dizzy or have trouble with your eyesight at all."
"Can't I go back to school?" Bella asked.
Dr. Cullen sent her a placating smile. "Maybe you should take it easy today."
"Does he get to go to school?" Bella asked, looking at Edward.
"Someone has to spread the good news that we survived," he said, smugly.
"Actually," Dr. Cullen corrected, "most of the school seems to be in the waiting room."
"Oh no," Bella moaned, covering her face with her hands, and Guin let out a laugh, which turned into a gasp when the movement sent pain stabbing through her hip. Her grip on Jasper's hand tightened, and he made a low… noise? She couldn't tell what it was, but it sounded strange.
The three others looked over at her, and Carlisle strode over immediately. Behind them, another doctor seemed to be checking over Tyler. "Miss Guinevere Swan, yes?"
"Please call me Guin."
"In that case, you may call me Carlisle." Carlisle smiled, and then sighed as he looked at her X-rays. "I had been hoping that the first time we met would be under pleasanter circumstances than this."
"Me too. Although, I suppose it's par for the course, considering you're a doctor."
"Your wit seems to be intact, which is good news to me."
"Has my reputation preceded me?" Guin asked, grinning. She noticed, vaguely, that Bella and Edward had stepped outside.
"Jasper talks about you often."
Guin looked at Jasper, letting out a teasing "Aww, you talk about me to your parents?" to which he responded with a kiss pressed to her knuckles.
"I always do."
Guin sent him a fond smile. Carlisle smiled softly, and let out a thoughtful hum, staring at her X-rays.
"The fracture isn't too bad, it seems. It will probably be quite painful, though. Hairline fractures in this area tend to be. May I check your back?" he asked, although he glanced at Jasper when he said it. Guin nodded, and then Jasper nodded once, tensely, and helped Guin sit up carefully. Guin raised her sweater and tank top, grimacing as the movement pulled at her sore ribs and back.
Dr. Cullen prodded around the area gently, watching as she winced and tightened her grip on Jasper's hand when he prodded a particularly tender spot. He pulled away, letting her drop her shirt once more, and moved back around to her front.
"Just sore, it seems. You'll probably have some nasty bruises along your back for a few days. Ice should help with them. As for the fracture, I'll ask you to keep off of it for the week, and next Wednesday you can return to school. Ice will help with pain, as will the painkillers I'm going to prescribe you. The instructions will be on the bottle for you, and they should help with any pain you have."
"Dr. Cullen, are you prescribing me, a poor high school student, the good shit?"
Carlisle laughed. "I am, as you say, prescribing you 'the good shit'."
Guin laughed into her hand, closing her eyes. "Oh man, I think the pain is making me loopy."
Dr. Cullen chuckled again. "I'll get you some crutches to help with movement, and I ask you to keep very light pressure on it for another two weeks after your bedrest is done. Come back in three weeks and we'll take another X-ray, see how you're progressing. Do you have any allergies? Any medications you're on currently?"
"No allergies to medicine, although I am potassium deficient, if that matters. I take potassium supplements to make up for it, but no other medications, aside from the occasional allergy medicine or Tylenol."
He nodded in acknowledgement, and quickly wrote a script for her prescription. He smiled at her politely. "I'm going to inform your father and give him the prescription for your pain medication and your crutches, okay? Jasper, would you help Miss Swan out?"
"I've got her," Jasper said immediately, and Carlisle sent the both of them another kind smile.
"I do hope the next time we meet, Miss Swan, it is on better terms."
"You and me both, Doc."
After he had left, Guin stopped Jasper from helping her into the wheelchair. He stopped immediately and looked at her. She fiddled with his fingers she held for a moment, somewhat anxious.
She knew, she knew, that whatever Jasper had done today to save her… it had to have been inhuman. And she wanted to know what it was - and maybe get answers to her other questions, like why she feels how she does about Jasper, and why he seemed so keen on her so quickly, and perhaps what that strange dream meant.
"If I… leave my window open in my room… will you be able to get in?"
Jasper swallowed, and pressed a kiss to her hair, breathing in her smell. "Yes," he breathed. Guin squeezed his hand.
"Okay."
They don't speak after that. Jasper helped her into the wheelchair, and pushed her out into the waiting room. Guin cringed when she saw everyone waiting for them, but was relieved at the sight of Charlie and Bella waiting off to the side. Charlie sent her a worried look, strode forwards to her, and pressed a kiss to her hair.
"Come on, Guinny. Let's get you home, yeah?"
"Bells, will you make me pizza rolls when we get home?" Guin asks, pouting at her. Bella snorts as they walk out, Jasper pushing her chair.
"Sure, weirdo."
"You're the best."
hr
Jasper could feel the anxiety eating at him as soon as Chief Swan had driven out of the parking lot. It clung to him, thick and heavy in his throat. His chest felt tight, and he knew if he were human, his breathing would be tight, shaky.
Edward's hand dropped on his shoulder. Jasper let out a low growl. He was upset with Edward.
Guinevere was going to know, anyway — it had been agreed upon by the family. She was everything to Jasper, of course she would be told and eventually changed.
Bella, on the other hand, did not need to be told. She didn't need to know. Guinevere had shoved her sister out of the way — Edward didn't need to be there at all. Jasper was closer, it would've been easier to write off — he greeted Guinevere in the parking lot every morning, and most of the humans in the school knew that. It would've made sense for him to be beside her.
"It'll be fine," Edward muttered, and Jasper glared at him.
"This situation is your fault."
"I didn't send Crowley's van sliding."
"No, but now Bella is suspicious and we may have to leave and my mate is in danger and this is your fault."
Edward glares at him, and Jasper snarls, grabbing a fistful of Edward's shirt in order to get his point across properly. Before he could do something drastic - like tearing off Edward's arm - the shiny silver Volvo drove up to them in the parking lot.
Alice stepped out, looking at them worriedly. "Jasper, is Guin alright?"
Jasper turns to Alice slowly, letting Edward drop back to the ground. He stares at her for a moment, before nodding. "She has a hairline fracture in her hip. Carlisle says she'll be fine."
Alice lets out a relieved breath. "Good, I was worried. We all were. Are you coming back to school?" she asks, looking at him, and Jasper shakes his head.
His entire body was tense, tight - coiled up and ready to spring. He couldn't go back to school - couldn't go back to pretending when his control was shot to hell and the beast in him was lingering at the surface. One wrong move - from him or anyone else - would make him snap. The thread keeping his sanity - his humanity - intact, was thin, worn, soon to break. The allure of human blood would be too much to handle right now, when he's already amped up and distressed.
He would go for a run, instead. The family had to have a talk before he could go to Guinevere, anyway. It would be best if he was able to cool off some before then.
He still had plans to kill Edward, though.
Alice sighed a little, looking at him with a frown. "Be careful. And I would rather you not."
"We'll see."
He ran all morning - long enough for the school day to end and the others to leave for home. He met them there, walking into the house from the back door. Esme looked relieved when she saw him, letting out a soft sigh. "Jasper, thank goodness you're alright."
"I'm fine," he said, softly, as they all headed into the dining room. It was never used for that purpose, of course, but Carlisle and the others always tried to have all the right things in their place. More often, it was used as a conference room. A group with such strong and opposing personalities as this one sometimes required a place to discuss things in a calm manner.
Jasper doubted it would work today.
Carlisle took his normal seat, at the eastern head of the room. Esme sat beside him, holding his hand on top of the table. Edward sat beside them, on Carlisle's other side. Rose sat directly across from Carlisle, with Emmett sitting beside her. Jasper stood against the wall behind Rose, arms behind his back, staring Edward down with a glare.
Edward looked away from him uncomfortably.
Alice came in last, eyes distant, focused on the future. Without seeming to think about it, she sat next to Esme. She rubbed her forehead, as if she had a headache.
Edward was the first to speak. "I'm sorry," he said, looking first to Rose, then Jasper, and then Emmett. "I didn't mean to put any of you at risk - or Guin," he added at Jasper's cold expression. "It was thoughtless, and I take full responsibility for my hasty action."
Rose glared at him, threateningly. "What do you mean, 'take full responsibility'? Are you going to fix it?"
"No," Esme murmured. "No, Edward."
Edward patted her hand. "It's just a few years."
"Esme's right, though," Emmett said. "You can't go anywhere now. That would be the opposite of helpful. We have to know what people are thinking, now more than ever."
"Alice will catch anything major," Edward disagreed.
Carlisle shook his head. "I think Emmett is right, Edward. The girl will be more likely to talk if you disappear. It's all of us leave, or none of us."
Jasper spoke for the first time since this meeting began. "Guinevere will have to come with us." His voice was a low rumble - he could feel the unease of the others as they realized he was toeing the line between Jasper - the sane, human part of him - and the Major - the side of him born in the bloodbath in the South.
Carlisle nods, once. "That, too, is something to think about. Guin will have to come with us."
Jasper could feel Edward's aversion to the idea. He let out a low, warning rumble.
Apparently, that morning was not the only time Edward had decided to be a fool today. "I don't think we should involve Guin into this."
Jasper stepped forwards, off the wall, letting out a snarl. Edward cringed back some. "You want me to leave my mate? Are you a fool? Guinevere will know. The family has discussed this. Guinevere will know and be changed, it's been agreed upon-"
"I did not agree to that-"
"Don't interrupt me."
Edward fell silent, as did the others. Jasper stepped forwards and put his hands on the table, leaning over it some to stare down Edward at the opposite end. His voice was low, collected, and terrifying.
"You do not get to decide what happens to my mate. You were outvoted. Guinevere comes with us."
Edward swallows tightly. Carlisle spoke up, trying to soothe the situation.
"Of course Guin will come with us, Jasper. She's part of the family now. It complicates things, but nothing we can't deal with."
It takes a moment, but Jasper shifts again, returning to his spot against the wall. The conversation continues.
"We can't allow the human a chance to say anything!" Rosalie snaps, smacking her palm against the table. "Carlisle, you must see that. Even if we decided to all disappear, it's not safe to leave stories behind us. We live so differently from the rest of our kind - you know there are those who would love an excuse to point fingers. We have to be more careful than anyone else!"
"We've left rumors behind us before," Edward reminds her.
"Just rumors and suspicions, Edward. Not eyewitnesses and evidence!"
"Evidence!" Edward scoffed, but Jasper nodded in agreement. Rosalie was right - there was too much evidence against them. His presence could be explained away easy enough - Edward's couldn't.
"Rose-" Carlisle began.
"Let me finish, Carlisle. It doesn't have to be any big production. The girl hit her head today. So maybe that injury turns out to be more serious than it looked." Rosalie shrugged. "Every mortal goes to sleep with the chance of never waking up. The others would expect us to clean up after ourselves. Technically, that would make it Edward's job, but this is obviously beyond him. You know I'm capable of control. I would leave no evidence behind me."
"Yes, Rosalie, we all know how proficient an assassin you are," Edward snarled, and Rosalie hissed at him, fury filling her. Edward turned to Jasper again. "And you! You're willing to kill your mate's twin? Her best friend?"
Jasper lets out a low, rumbling growl. Edward was really pushing it today, wasn't he? "Guinevere would come to understand I did it for her protection. It may take a while, but she would."
Edward snarls again. "You speak about her as if her life means nothing!"
"In the face of my mate's safety? Of course not! It's nothing if it means Guinevere is safe!" Jasper snarled back at him, shifting forwards as if to lunge across the table. Tearing off his arm was looking more and more tempting right now.
Carlisle held his hands up, voice placating. "Please, everyone calm down," he said, and then turned to Rosalie. "Rosalie, I looked the other way in Rochester, because I felt that you were owed your justice. The men you killed had wronged you monstrously. This is not the same situation. The Swan girl is an innocent."
"It's not personal, Carlisle," Rosalie said through her teeth. "It's to protect us all."
There was a brief moment of silence while Carlisle thought through his answer. Jasper shifted back, and spent the entirety of it glaring at Edward. Finally, Carlisle nodded, and Jasper could feel Rosalie's pleasure rush through her, although he was… unsure. Carlisle never compromised.
"I know you mean well, Rosalie, but… I'd like very much for our family to be worth protecting. The occasional… accident or lapse in control is a regrettable part of who we are. To murder a blameless child in cold blood is another thing entirely. I believe the risk she presents, whether she speaks her suspicions or not, is nothing to the greater risk. If we make exceptions to protect ourselves, we risk something much more important. We risk losing the essence of who we are."
Jasper was careful to keep his expression flat, neutral, but annoyance filled him when he felt Edward's pleasure. Rosalie scowled. "It's just being responsible."
"It's being callous," Carlisle corrected gently. "Every life is precious."
Rosalie sighed heavily, and her lower lip pouted out. Emmett patted her shoulder. "It'll be fine, Rose," he encouraged in a low voice.
"The question," Carlisle continued, "is whether we should move on?"
"No," Rosalie moaned. "We just got settled. I don't want to start on my sophomore year in high school again!"
"You could keep your present age, of course," Carlisle said.
"And have to move again that much sooner?" Rose countered. Carlisle shrugged. "I like it here! There's so little sun, we get to be almost normal," Rose continued. "Besides, moving would be more complicated than usual - we'd have to find a way to explain Guin's sudden disappearance without raising suspicions about ourselves, too."
Jasper could feel Edward's annoyance at the fact that they were even including Guinevere in this, and he let out a growl.
Carlisle just nodded. "Well, we certainly don't have to decide now. We can wait and see if it becomes necessary. Edward seems certain of the Swan girl's silence."
Jasper was still unmoved. He knew the consequences of allowing things like this to pass, to go unresolved, and at the moment his mate was too fragile to be left vulnerable. He wouldn't - couldn't - allow it to pass. And it put his family in danger too - Alice, the one who had saved him from a life he couldn't bear, and Rosalie, the one he truly thought of as his sister.
Yes, the Swan girl would have to die. Of course.
"Jasper," Edward spoke, and Jasper leveled him with a warning expression. Don't be a fool, Edward. You've been one quite enough for today.
"She won't pay for my mistake. I won't allow that."
"She benefits from it, then? She should have died today, Edward. I would only set that right."
"And Guin shouldn't have? By that logic, should Guin not also die?"
As soon as he had said that, Jasper could feel the regret flow through him, but it was lost in the rage he felt. The Major paused, tilted his head, staring down the boy before him. He strode forwards, steady and collected, across the room (in his peripherals, he could see Carlisle's remorseful expression, although he did not interfere). Edward stood up, but before he could move away, the Major had taken him by the throat and slammed him into the wall. It cracked and dented under the pressure. (Jasper briefly felt sorry, because Esme was the one who would have to fix that.)
Major let out a snarl, tightening his grip around the boy's throat. Edward's hands reached up, scrabbling at the Major's wrists. He may not have needed to breathe, but having your head ripped off was not a fun experience.
"I," he breathed, leaning in close to Edward's ear, "would be real, real careful about what'cha go around sayin' about my Guinevere. Got it?"
Edward nodded quickly.
"I won't let her live in danger - of any kind. Y'don't feel 'bout anyone the way I feel 'bout her, and y'haven't lived through what I've lived through, memories or no." Major tightens his grip around Edward's neck, voice dropping even lower, anger simmering in it. "Y'just don't get it."
The Major loosened his grip just enough for Edward to speak. Edward cleared his throat, voice somewhat hoarse as he spoke. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that," Edward chokes out.
Behind him, he can hear Esme saying, "Jasper, please…"
"You shouldn't've," Major agreed, tightening his grip again. He could feel Edward's panic rising. "What I should do is tear yer head off, teach you a lesson on respect. Lucky for you," he drawled, "I care about Esme and Carlisle. I respect 'em, too, so yer head gets t'stay on today. Try this again, though, and we'll see where bein' a fool ends you up. Understand?"
"I understand," Edward choked out.
Major nodded once, dropped the boy, and returned to his spot against the wall, arms behind his back. It took a few minutes for everyone to return to their seats. Edward had to lean against the wall for a moment, coughing, while the cracks on his neck healed. Carlisle was disappointed, but was wise enough not to say anything. What Jasper had done was justified - you didn't go around saying things like that about other vampire's mates, especially not ones like what Jasper had.
Finally, Alice spoke up. "Jazz."
The Major looked over at her, lips pressed into a hard line.
"I know you want to protect us. And I know you love us. But I would really appreciate it if you didn't try to kill Bella. First of all, Edward's serious, and I don't want you two fighting. Secondly, Guin would be really upset, you know? And thirdly, she's my friend. At least, she's going to be."
He paused, staring at her. "Alice?"
Edward was staring at her with shock.
"I'm going to love her someday, Jazz. Just like I love Guin. I'll be very put out with you if you don't let her be."
Jasper stared at her, digested her words. She was right, of course. Guinevere would be extremely upset if he killed her sister. And Alice would be upset too, it seemed. Finally, he sighed.
Fine. He wouldn't kill the girl. Edward, on the other hand…
Alice let out a relieved breath, and Jasper felt it rush through her. "Ah, see? Bella's not going to say anything. There's nothing to worry about."
Jasper frowned at the familiar way she said the girl's name, but looked away.
"Alice," Edward choked out. "What… does this…?"
"I told you there was a change coming. I don't know, Edward."
"What, Alice? What are you hiding?"
Emmett let out a grumble, and Jasper couldn't help but agree with him. It could be frustrating when Alice and Edward had these kinds of conversations. Alice shook her head, resolutely.
"Is it about the girl?" Edward demanded. "Is it about Bella?" There was maybe a millisecond before Edward jumped onto his feet, the chair crashing to the floor behind him.
"Edward!" Carlisle cried, his hand on Edward's shoulder, holding him in place.
"It's solidifying," Alice whispered. "Every minute you're more decided. There're really only two ways left for her. It's one or the other, Edward."
"No," Edward whispered again, and Emmett looked annoyed.
"Will somebody please let the rest of us in on the mystery?" he complained.
"I have to leave," Edward whispered. Selfishly, Jasper wished he would.
"Edward, we've already been over that," Emmett said loudly. "That's the best way to start the girl talking. Besides, if you take off, we won't know for sure if she's talking or not. You have to stay and deal with this."
"I don't see you going anywhere, Edward," Alice told him. "I don't know if you can leave anymore."
"I don't hear that," Edward said suddenly. Alice must have thought something to him. "Why are you doing this to me?" he groaned, dropping his head into his hands.
Then, a moment later, "Love her, too?" he whispered, incredulous. Jasper could feel all his warring emotions - disbelief and despair mixed with smothered joy and desire, desire for her and her blood.
"No," he said, closing his eyes tightly. "I don't have to follow that course. I'll leave. I will change the future."
"You can try," Alice replied, sounding skeptical.
Finally, Emmett had had enough. "Oh, come on!" he bellowed.
"Pay attention," Rosalie hissed at him. "Alice sees him falling for a human! How classically Edward!" She made a gagging sound.
Jasper let that one pass - one: because it was making fun of Edward, and two: because Guinevere was different. She was an exception to the rule.
"What?" Emmett asked, startled. Then, he let out a booming laugh, throwing his head back. "Is that what's been going on?" He laughed again. "Tough break, Edward!"
"Fall for a human?" Esme repeated, stunned. "For the girl he saved today? Fall in love with her?"
"What do you see, Alice? Exactly," Jasper demanded. He had to know what the future held - if it held Guinevere, or just her sister.
Alice turned toward him. "It all depends on whether he is strong enough or not. Either he'll kill her himself-" she turned to glare at Edward, "which would really irritate me, Edward, not to mention what it would do to you or Guin-" she turned back to Jasper. "or she'll be one of us someday. Guin, too," she added, sending him a reassuring look. "I see all three of us, together."
Somebody gasped - Esme, Jasper thinks, and he feels relief flood him.
Guinevere would be with them, vampires, together. Good.
"That's not going to happen!" Edward shouted. "Either one!"
Alice continued. "It all depends," she repeated. "He may be just strong enough not to kill her-but it will be close. It will take an amazing amount of control," she mused. "More than even Carlisle has. He may be just strong enough… The only thing he's not strong enough to do is stay away from her. That's a lost cause."
Everyone was silent. The room was still.
Jasper was… wary. This could blow up in their faces, and put Guinevere in danger. He still felt the best course of action was the initial plan - dispose of the girl, and eventually leave with Guinevere. He wouldn't act on it, not now, but he would keep an eye on the situation.
After a long moment, Carlisle sighed. "Well, this… complicates things."
"I'll say," Emmett agreed. His voice was close to laughter, and his humor flooded Jasper's gift.
"I suppose the plans remain the same, though," Carlisle said thoughtfully. "We'll stay, and watch. Obviously, no one will… hurt the girl."
Edward stiffened, and Jasper inclined his head some.
"No," he said quietly, "I can agree to that. As long as Guinevere is safe, I'll leave the girl alone. If Alice only sees two ways-"
"No!" Edward's voice was some combination of a shout, a growl, and a cry of despair. "No!"
Edward turned, and stalked out of the room. Esme tried to stop him, but sighed when he ignored her. Instead, she turned to Jasper. He could feel her caution, her hesitance.
He sent her a smile, and she smiled back, relieved. Jasper looked over to Carlisle, including his head. "I apologize... for my behavior earlier."
"It was justified, Jasper. Edward should not have said that about Guin."
"Doesn't mean I should've lost my cool like that."
Esme sighs at him, stepping forwards to take his hands. "Jasper, dear, your mate almost got killed today, she's hurt, and you're all the way on the other side of town. It's perfectly understandable that you'd react like that when provoked."
Jasper just smiled at her, and then she seemed to light up.
"Oh, Jasper! You are going to see her, right?"
He just nodded. Esme pulled back, and ran into the kitchen. She came back out with a tupperware container of cookies. "Oh, you said she liked sweet things, and when Carlisle called me after she left the hospital, I baked these for her. You'll take them to her, right?"
Jasper chuckled softly, taking the container from her grasp. "Of course, Esme."
hr
When Jasper finally got to the Swan residence, he had settled some. He could still feel the beast inside him pacing, snarling at it's cage, but it seemed to have settled some since he let it loose on Edward. Jasper tried to soothe it more, reminding it that their mate was just inside, that they would see her soon. Guinevere didn't need to see him with black eyes.
Chief Swan was downstairs, it sounded like - Jasper could hear the TV playing. Bella was in her room, sleeping. His Guinevere was still awake, though. He could feel her emotions - amusement, focus, longing, sleepiness, all underlined with a subtle, constant pain.
Her hip was bothering her, it seemed. He wondered if she had taken her medication.
He listened for a moment longer, watching the curtains at her window blow in the slight breeze. He could hear something playing. After a moment, he decided she must have been listening to some sort of audio book, although he was unsure of which one. Reaching down, he grabbed a pebble off the ground.
It took careful concentration, but he managed to knock the pebble onto the glass of her window hard enough for it to make a noise, but not so hard that it cracked the window glass. He heard the audiobook stop.
"It's me, Guinevere. I'm coming up, okay?" he called out, loud enough for her to hear, but not loud enough to possibly wake Bella.
"Yes!" she cried, trying to keep her voice down. He could feel the relief rushing through her like clean, cool water, and he let it fill him as he jumped up, grabbing onto the window ledge with his hands. Guinevere gasped sharply, startled, and he pulled himself inside easily, landing silently on the floor.
When he had straightened up, he smiled at her. She grinned back. "Hey there, darlin'," he purred.
"Jasper! You took longer than I expected."
"Sorry about that. We had a… family meeting."
"Family meeting?" she asked, watching as he walked over to where she'd settled on the bed, sitting beside her. Then, she frowns at him. "You're not in trouble with them because of what you did today, are you?"
"I'm not. Did you finally get your pizza rolls?" he asked
"You're deflecting," she pouted at him, and he smiled. Jasper pressed a kiss to her hair.
"I promise I'll explain to you tonight. Just let me relax for a bit."
She stared at him for a moment, before she sighed, agreeing. "Alright. And, for your information, I did get my pizza rolls."
Jasper grinned, and nodded at her work. "So, what are you making?"
"It's a mockup for an 1860s chemise. I've got plans for a ballgown this summer, but wanted a new chemise."
Jasper smiled a bit, leaning his head against hers. "You like the 1860s?" he asked softly.
"I mean, barring the whole "bloodbath Civil War" thing that happened in America that decade, yeah. I like it a lot - 1850s and 1860s fashion are my favorite eras. I like the big hoop skirts and the laces and ruffles and bows, and the Bertha collars are my favorites."
Jasper let out a hum, closing his eyes as he listened to her speak. He loved hearing her talk - hearing the passion in her voice and feeling it, too, bubbling up and out of her. Guinevere felt things so strongly, they filled her up and overflowed and gushed out of her. Being around her overwhelmed him, in the best possible ways. It was easier, to ignore others' emotions and his own thirst when she was next to him, filling him up with her bubbly joy and crushing sorrow and her bright, giggling laughter.
"Honestly, the chemise probably didn't need a mockup. It was easy to pattern draft, and it's meant to be loose anyway, but the linen I'm using for it is really nice and my math skills are generally questionable. But now I wish I had cut the linen pieces, anyway," she sighed. Disappointment bloomed in her chest, and he frowned, pulling away to look at her.
"Why?" Jasper asked, and Guinevere pouted up at him.
"Because now I can't cut my linen out, since I can't put weight on my hip. I don't have a cutting table, so I usually crawl around on the floor in the kitchen to cut my pieces out. I don't even want to think about crawling around right now," she huffed.
Jasper chuckled a bit, tugging on a curl that escaped her braid. She pouted at him again.
"Don't worry, darlin'. I'm sure Alice wouldn't mind cutting them out for you. We can take them over to my house when you've finalized the pattern, yeah?"
"Oh, have we moved into meeting-the-parents territory? I didn't think we'd had our second date."
"I think," he said, playfully, "that near-death experiences are good substitutes for second dates. Esme really wants to meet you - she's quite put out that you've met everyone but her. Speaking of Esme," he said, producing a plastic container from the bag he had dropped beside the bed. "She sends you well wishes for your hip to heal nicely."
Guinevere gasped when she opened the container. "Cookies!"
Jasper chuckled as she pulled one out, eyes glittering. "Oooh they're white chocolate chip cookies, too.. Please tell your mom I said thank you!"
"I will."
He looked around the room while Guinevere chowed down on cookies, standing up to inspect the different things.
Her bed was messy, of course - she had spent most of the afternoon in it. The pink duvet was covered by several other blankets, all piled atop one another, in every color of the rainbow. There was an ice pack resting beside her, and her sewing project draped across her lap. By the head of her bed, next to her elbow, was a stuffed animal. Jasper tilted his head a bit, amusement filling him. It was a red-and-white longhorn, although the horns were flopping a little and it seemed well worn. Guinevere looked over, following his gaze. Her expression lit up. "Oh!" she cried, "I'm sorry! This is Tucker," she said, holding the toy out to him.
Jasper raised an eyebrow at her, and she wrinkled her nose at him, wiggling the toy a little bit. "C'mon, Jazz - he's very important to me."
"Is he?" Jasper humored her. Her fake-pout was very cute.
"Yes! He kept me company on the plane flight up here, and when I got my wisdom teeth out last January he was the one who kept me company when I was laying in bed delirious with pain. Actually, you know, I think there might've been some blood on him from that, your mouth gets all numb and weird and it's really hard to not just sort of… let all the blood and saliva fall out of your mouth and it's really gross and oh my god I need to stop talking," she groaned, burying her face into the stuffed animal's (Tucker, his mind helpfully reminded) back.
Jasper laughed, stepping forwards to touch her blushing face. He sent her a fond smile when she peered up at him over the toy. "You're cute, Guinevere."
"Thanks," she squeaked, "I feel like an idiot."
Jasper just chuckled, and turned back around to keep looking around her room.
The wall across from the door was covered by a desk and a wardrobe. He paused, looking down at the things on her desk - a laptop, a sketchbook and some coloring pencils, notebooks and journals. He liked the knickknacks, most; a small toy horse, a Pokemon figure, a statuette of a cat. A pin cushion, stabbed through with pins and needles, a few books balanced delicately on the edge. The wall above it was covered in photos - pictures of her and Bella, and who he assumed was their mother and her new husband, of Guinevere and Chief Swan, all throughout her life. Pictures of Guinevere, in dresses from all kinds of eras - one medieval, a few from the 18th century, several from the mid 19th. A few of her in Edwardian pieces, a few of her looking as though she was in the '40s, the '50s.
In all of them, she was smiling. He wanted to see her smile for the rest of eternity.
He moved on, looking towards the large rack of cubbies that took up most of the other wall. The part of the wall it didn't take up was filled with a bookshelf, packed with books, video game cases, vinyls and CD cases, and magazines. The cubby had some books in it, too; sewing books, he assumed, from the titles.
Lingering over the bookshelf, he tugged out a particular paperback, glancing at the front. He turned to Guinevere, an amused eyebrow raised. "Dracula?"
Guinevere sent him an embarrassed smile. "What can I say? I'm a fan of the classics. Dad and I have all the old monster movies downstairs."
Jasper chuckles a bit, sliding the book back into place. Another book catches his attention, and he holds it up for her to see, an eyebrow raised. "Love Bites?"
"Oh. My. God." Guinevere's face turns red again, and she covers her mouth. "Um, that was supposed to get put away."
"Do you have a lot of, uh," he glances at the back of the book, and looks up at her, eyebrows raised again, "vampire erotica?"
"It's… not just vampires?" she squeaks, and Jasper laughs, dropping the book back on her bookshelf, looking back towards the cubbies.
Mostly, though, the cubby held fabric - most of them in folded up cuts with tags, telling the fiber content and yardage. In a tall basket next to the cubbies sat all her bolts of fabric - muslin and cotton and linens, all the things she'd bought bulk. One of the cubbies was filled with sewing supplies, and another filled with jars full of buttons. There were some zippers in a plastic box, and on the bottom, in one of the bigger cubbies, was a large basket, half pulled out and filled with scraps of fabric.
"Cabbage," Guinevere offered helpfully, and Jasper turned to look at her, confused. She smiled, "'Cabbage' is the historical term for fabric scraps that are too small to be used for a garment, but too big to throw away. I use them for mockups, piecing or buttons or if I need just a bit of extra fabric for a project."
Jasper nodded thoughtfully. He thought he remembered hearing the term before, but his memories of his human life were… vague. Her dress form was against the wall, next to a rocking chair with a blanket draped over the back. Behind the dress form was a mirror, although it was leaning with the face against the wall. The two side tables against her bed had two lamps on them. The left one - closest to the door - had a mug, a box of tissues and a bottle of medicine. Next to it were her crutches. There were two books on that one, too, as well as a little bag of sewing supplies, a pink Gameboy SP covered in stickers, and her phone, earbuds lying carelessly on the bed beside it. He nodded his head in its direction.
"What were you listening to?"
"The Goblet of Fire."
"Audiobook?" he asked, glancing over at her.
Guinevere nodded, happily. "Yes! The one narrated by Jim Dale. I have all of them - the books too, of course."
"You like audiobooks?"
"I work with my hands a lot," Guinevere says. "I love to read, but it's difficult to read when I'm stitching seams or drawing or cutting fabric. Audiobooks are my compromise."
Jasper smiled a bit. "I'll keep that in mind. You should let me read to you sometime," he murmured, coming to sit beside her on the bed. Reaching out, he took her hand in his, and she put Tucker to the side, and squeezed his hand in hers, a frown on her face.
"Jasper, you're acting strangely. What's wrong?"
"I am scared to tell you the truth about me," he says, slowly. "I'm worried I'll scare you away."
"What? It's not like you're a vampire or anything, right?" Guinevere jokes, and Jasper stares at her. Guinevere's smile slowly slips away, and Jasper can feel her disbelief.
"...You're joking, right? You have to be. Vampires aren't real, they can't be real."
Jasper's voice is soft. "They're real, darlin'. How else do you explain what happened today?"
"Hysterical strength?"
"I was two cars away from you, Guinevere. If I were human, I wouldn't have been able to get to you before that van crushed you. We both know that."
"But… But… Vampires are just… impossible. That can't be," she said, slowly, but Jasper could see the gears turning in her head. "That's… That's why your sister is so cold, isn't it? Why your eyes get dark sometimes, why you all seem so aloof compared to the other students, you're avoiding them, right?"
Jasper nods slowly. Guinevere swallows.
"Okay. So. Let's say I believe you, that you're vampires. What… would that entail?" she asked, slowly, and Jasper rubbed her knee beneath the blankets, staring down at the floral pattern on it.
"My family and I are different from others of our kind. Most vampires drink from humans - our saliva is venomous, and if you're bitten by one of us, you'll either be killed or become a vampire yourself. We consider ourselves 'vegetarians', because we hunt animals instead of humans."
"Oh, well that's a funny piece of irony. Did Carlisle come up with that?"
"How did you know?"
"Seems like the kinda guy who'd appreciate some good dry humor."
Jasper just shook his head at her, laughing a bit. "Carlisle was the first of us. Edward came after him — in 1918, and Esme came next, in 1921. Rosalie came in 1933, and Emmett not long after, in 1935. Alice and I joined in 1950 — we had met a few years earlier, in 1948."
Guinevere paused, frowning a bit. "So.. you and Alice weren't changed by Carlisle?"
"No," he said, softly. "But that's a story for another time."
Guinevere just nodded. "So.. what about your biology, for lack of a better term?" Guinevere asked, and Jasper could feel the curiosity building in her. It took a moment for her to decide on a question to ask. "Are you allergic to garlic?"
Jasper chuckled. "No, no allergy to garlic. And, before you ask, crosses don't bother us, we don't sleep in coffins and we don't have to take the soil of our homeland with us. We don't really sleep at all, in fact."
"You don't sleep at all?" Guinevere whispered, horrified.
Jasper shakes his head. "We do, sort of, but it's more like… a deep meditation. You get used to it, eventually. Find other ways to occupy yourself — for example, Emmett and I have a very complicated game of chess going on at the moment."
"Like the elves in The Lord of the Rings?" Guinevere asked, and Jasper sent her an amused little smile, "Do you relate to everything with literary references?"
"Absolutely," Guinevere laughed. "Okay, so, you aren't allergic to garlic, crosses aren't useful at all, and you don't really sleep. What about sunlight? Does it burn you?"
"It does not. It does reveal we aren't human, though."
"What, does it make you look all disfigured and monstrous?"
Jasper's lips twitch. "Edward would think so, but no. It, ah, makes us sparkle," he said, minor embarrassment flooding him.
Guinevere stared at him. "I'm sorry?"
"It makes us sparkle, like diamonds."
"Like… a disco ball?"
Jasper snorts. "Yeah, like a disco ball."
"Okay, so, you can't sleep, aren't allergic to garlic or crosses, and you shine like a goddamn disco ball in sunlight. Or someone heading back from Pride. What else?"
"We're supernaturally attractive, to lure our prey. Our beauty generally overrides the fear most humans feel around us. The perfect predator, you could say."
"Okay, so you're super hot to make people want to be around you. So you can, y'know, eat them."
"Yes."
"This is turning out to be more Love Bites than it is Dracula," she muttered, and Jasper laughed again. "Um… Can you like, eat human food?"
Jasper smiled wryly. "We can."
"What... happens to it?"
"We have to throw it back up," Jasper says, bluntly, and Guinevere grimaces.
"Ew."
"Very ew," he agrees. "Our skin can't be penetrated by any mortal tool. The only thing that can harm us are others of our kind, and a few other supernatural creatures. We're also inhumanly strong and fast," he added, almost as an afterthought.
"Yes, I gathered as much myself. So you can eat human food, it just has icky repercussions."
"Many of us don't. For most vampires, it is… repulsive. For some, it simply has no taste to it. I have met a few, however, who can taste it, and seem to enjoy it, despite the 'throwing-it-up-later' thing."
"Interesting," Guinevere said, slowly. "Is there… anything else I should know, or have we gone over the whole SparkNotes version?"
"Some of our kind have… gifts, for lack of a better term. Things we bring from our human lives that are enhanced in our vampirism."
"Like what?"
"Alice can see the future, and Edward can read minds."
"Sorry, he can what?"
Jasper's lip twitched a bit. "Edward can read minds — it's very frustrating for the rest of us. He's no longer allowed to play chess against any of us, other than Alice."
"And… Alice can see the future?"
"Subjectively — it all depends on the choices people make. And… I can feel people's emotions, and manipulate them."
"So, you're an empath?"
"Essentially."
"Jasper, that's... That sounds horrible," Guinevere whispers, horrified. "I can't imagine how overwhelmed you must get, with all the people around you, feeling things, and… six other vampires, probably thirsting after the humans around you. That's… awful."
Jasper looks a little surprised. "Nobody's ever thought of it that way before."
Guinevere sends him a sad look. "That's horrible. You must suffer so much…" she pauses for a moment, and he can feel her sudden regret and worry.
"What's wrong, darlin'?"
"I don't want to be mean, but... Do you… manipulate mine?" Guinevere asked, hesitantly.
"No. Not on purpose. Sometimes, I… slip. When I'm upset, it's easy for me to lose control, and force my emotions on other people. I don't do it purposely. Today, though, I… was more liberal with my gift than usual. You were about to have a panic attack, and I was already on the edge of losing it, and I knew if you panicked, I wouldn't be able to control myself as well."
Guinevere looked suddenly surprised. "Earlier, when we were talking to dad, I felt… anxiety consume me. As soon as I took your hand again, though, it calmed. Was that you?"
"Letting you leave my arms was terrifying after watching you almost die. My control over my gift slipped. I also believe you are… more susceptible to it, than others."
"Why? Why were you so scared to let me go?"
"There is a myth our kind knows of. We don't have much of an overarching culture — it can be difficult when many covens are nomadic. However, this one has come up repeatedly. It's… rare. Most vampires don't entirely believe it exists."
"What is it, Jasper?" Guinevere asked, hesitant.
"Some of us have something we call an animae dilectae— our kind refer to it as a 'soul match.' It's rare enough that many of our kind don't believe in it. Or maybe it's not rare at all — and many have just been unlucky enough to never meet theirs. Since most of us don't believe in it, we mate with whoever we fall in love with, and that's the end of it."
"And… Do you believe in these soul matches?"
Jasper gazed at her, a soft fondness flooding him. "I do now."
After a few moments, Guinevere let out a soft breath. "Oh. Am I..?"
"Yes," Jasper breathed. "You are my animae dilectae— my soul match."
Guinevere was silent for a few moments, staring at the hand on her knee. "So…" she said, softly. "We're fated to be together?"
"I can only assume so."
She swallowed tightly, and tugged on his hand, pulling him up the bed to sit next to her. She curled up against his side, as best she could, considering it probably hurt to move her right leg. Jasper could feel relief flood him — if she wanted to be close to him, then she must not be too scared.
"Is that why I feel so comfortable around you? Why I ache when you're gone? Why I never want to be parted from you?"
"Yes. I feel it too," he whispered, fiddling with a loose piece of her hair. "You are… everything to me. As soon as I saw you, I knew I'd love you one day. Even now, you are my heart, my soul— the thought of losing you is too painful to even consider. I believe that the… similarity in our souls makes you more susceptible to my power, even when I'm not trying to use it on you."
"We… We've known each other for a week, Jasper. It can't be… natural, to feel this way so suddenly."
Jasper pulled her closer to him, and pressed a kiss into her hair. "There is nothing in this world more natural than you and I together, Guinevere."
She paused, and closed her eyes. She let her head rest against his chest. "I feel like… I should be more scared. I'm not, though— all I feel is content, even now, because I'm by your side."
"Nothing has to happen now," Jasper assured her. "We can take our time. We don't have to suddenly jump into a relationship. There's no rush."
They sat in silence for several minutes, before Jasper pressed another kiss to her hair, breathing in her scent. "You should take some more painkillers and rest, Guinevere. Rest helps with healing."
Guinevere huffed against him some, and he pulled away from her. He collected her mockup, storing it and the needle, along with her container of pins, on her desk. While he was up, Guinevere had taken one of her pills, settling back down into bed. She watched him as he made sure everything was put away.
"Stay?" she asked, softly, and Jasper looked at her, surprised. But he nodded.
"Of course."
"Lay with me?" she asked again, extending her hand to him. He took it, and settled himself behind her on the bed, pressing against her back as she laid on her good side. She reached forward and turned off the bedside lamp.
Jasper pressed his lips to the back of her neck. She shuddered some, and he could feel the desire flood her.
"Don't," he growled a little.
"Don't kiss my neck then!"
He huffed a bit, but settled against her again, draping one arm across her waist. "I'll be gone when you wake," he murmured.
"I know," she sighed.
"I'll come visit after school. I promise."
"Promise?" Guinevere hummed sleepily, and Jasper nodded against her shoulder. Jasper felt so content — the beast inside him had settled, purring, once again pleased that its mate was back in its arms. Jasper returned that sentiment — and felt himself let out a rumbling purr. He could feel Guinevere slump beneath him, and he let his eyes close.
He purred all night long.