Chapter Warnings:
language, cursing, brief mentions of death/killing
Next Update: probably February 27th
Sascha sat up straighter too, alerted. „What is it? Did you hear something?"
„No, it's Alice", he muttered, most likely trying to pin point Alice's emotions. „Let's go."
„What about the guests?" Sascha focused on the noise coming from inside the house, filtering out the voices she knew. The hushed voices of Alice and Bella stuck out. „Ah."
Jasper had done the same. „We'll stay on the top floor."
Sascha nodded and followed after Jasper. They dropped down the roof to the balcony connected to his room and rushed to the door to find the others. And sure enough, they were already gathering in one of the attic rooms. Including Jacob and two other guys from his pack. Sascha shared an uncomfortable look with Jasper before they, too, slipped into the room. Sascha closed the door behind her.
Jasper immediately moved over to Alice. „What's going on?"
„I just had a vision", Alice's voice was shaking. Her pupils had shrunk to an impossibly small size, brows pulled up in a look of terror. Sascha didn't need to be an empath to know how deeply shaken she actually was. „The newborns… they changed course. They are coming. They'll be here in four days."
„Holy shit." Sascha leaned the back of her head against the door. Shocked.
Carlisle stopped his pacing and leaned against the table that Bella and Edward were sitting on. „This could turn into a bloodbath."
Edward turned to look at Alice. „Who's behind it?"
„I didn't see anyone I recognised", Alice paused for a moment. „Maybe one."
Edward seemed to search her mind for the person she was referring to, then nodded briefly. „I know his face. He's local", he looked at Sascha, „Riley Biers."
Sascha pushed herself off the door to stand straight. „Biers?" And then it hit her like a brick wall. „Of course… How can I be so stupid." She slapped her forehead quite hard. „God, I should've known. His pictures were all over Seattle."
Alice reached a hand out to her. Sascha stepped forward and let herself be pulled between Alice and Jasper. „You had other stuff to worry about."
Edward shook his head. „And he didn't start this."
„Whoever did is staying out of the action", Alice said.
Carlisle frowned, considering the facts at hand. „They must be playing with the blindspots in your vision."
„Either way, the army is coming and there aren't enough of us to protect the town." Jasper's voice seemed strained, tensed.
Jacob took a step forward then. „Hold up. What damn army?"
„Newborns", Carlisle stated simply. „Our kind."
One of Jacob's friends, Sascha didn't know his name, shook his head in confusion. „What are they after?"
„They were passing around Bella's scent." Alice looked at Bella. „A red blouse."
Sascha frowned deeply. „That must've been the reason why Riley broke into your house in the first place."
„They're after Bella? What the hell does that mean?" Jacob seemed more agitated by the second.
Even given the situation, Sascha did not appreciate his tone. Why was he even at the party? After what he'd done-
„It means an ugly fight. With lives lost", Carlisle said tightly.
Jacob and his two friends shared a look, all three of them nodding at each other after a few beats of silence. Jacob then turned back to the others. „Alright. We're in."
„No!", Bella interrupted immediately. „You'll get yourselves killed. No way!"
„I wasn't asking for permission."
Sascha scoffed. „What a surprise."
„And who are you?", Jacob snapped at her.
Ignoring them, Bella turned to her partner for support. „Edward?"
The mind reader remained silent for a few seconds, contemplating. „It means more protection for you."
„Jacob? Do you think Sam will agree to", Carlisle pondered for the right word, „an understanding?"
„As long as we get to kill some vampires." For some reason, Jacob glanced at Sascha then.
She had to swallow really hard to contain the snarl working its way up her throat. That was new. She had never had the urge to make that sound before.
Carlisle turned to their residential strategy expert. „Jasper?"
„They'll give us the numbers. The newborns won't know they even exist. That'll give us an edge."
„We'll need to coordinate."
Bella stood up quickly. „Carlisle, they're gonna get hurt."
„We'll all need some training." Carlisle seemed to understand her worries, but the situation was too critical to refuse any kind of help they could get. He turned to the three pack members again. „Fighting newborns requires knowledge that Jasper has. You're welcome to join us."
„Right", Jacob took a step forward. „Name the time and place."
„Jake", Bella tried again to reason with him. „You don't know what you're getting yourselves into."
„Bella, this is what we do. You should be happy. Look at us, working together. You are the one that wanted us to get along, remember?"
Sascha couldn't believe her ears. „Oh, quit gaslighting her, you prick."
„Seriously, what's your problem, huh?"
„You, to be frank, and your fucking attitude."
„Careful, Red Eye", Jacob spat at her and stepped closer. „You don't even know me."
Sascha scoffed and got into his face, back straight and shoulders squared. She was a bit taller than him and she was gonna use it. Two could play that game. „Enough to know that your lowlife of an ego is too busy making a pissing contest to realise that Bella only worries about you, even after you fucking forced yourself on her. So", her glare got darker as her irises dipped into a deep orange. „You be careful. Before I forget myself. And I'm not telling you this as a vampire."
Sascha could hear the growl building up in the back of Jacob's throat, could feel the heat from his skin rising in temperature. She almost wished for him to give her a reason.
However, to her admittedly childish disappointment, Jacob turned to his pack members and nodded towards the door once. Before they were out of the room, Jacob glanced at Carlisle again. „See you during training."
And they were gone.
Sascha released a breath she didn't need, a colourful variety of curse words right at the forefront of her head. „That was pleasant."
„We need to focus our energies", Carlisle said. „Alice, I think it's best if the party comes to a close now."
Alice nodded, obviously still shaken up. Sascha wished she could help her closing up the scene, but she still couldn't let herself be seen by anyone.
„We'll help", Bella quickly offered.
Alice took it gratefully, linked her arm with Bella and left to go downstairs, Edward right behind them.
What a hideous reason for having to cut the party short.
Carlisle looked at the remaining two. „I'll inform the others. It's best if we all meet in the living room by dawn."
Jasper nodded like a soldier, Sascha was half surprised he didn't salute. „Understood."
„We should all rest, mentally, gather our strengths", Carlisle put a hand on both of their shoulders, worry etched all over his features, „I doubt the coming days will spare much time."
Sascha nodded, deep in thought. „I'll just quickly clean up the roof."
Carlisle gave each of their shoulders a squeeze, then all of them left the room.
Jasper gingerly touched her upper arm before they parted ways in the corridor. He went to his room and Sascha quickly did as she had planned, and brought her stuff back down from the roof. She put it all on her couch unceremoniously, sitting down on the floor in front of it. Suddenly everything was getting into action. She was reminded again how deeply upsetting the entire situation was, even if she had been waiting for a resolution for months now. They had always known that it wouldn't end without a fight.
In that moment she wished for it all to take more time. It all seemed so definite. Because it was.
The house was quiet then. Whatever reason the others had used to make the guests leave, it had worked.
Sascha sat there for a while, contemplating without processing any of her thoughts. She could've stopped existing for a moment, she wouldn't have noticed. A knock brought her back.
„Hm?"
The door opened a little and Jasper poked his head in carefully. „May I come in?"
„Of course." Sascha moved to the side a little, gesturing for him to take a seat next to her. She giggled softly when she saw what he was holding in his hands. A Uno card pack.
Jasper closed the door behind him and lifted the cards a little. „I come to retrieve my promised card game." He settled down beside her, back leaned against the couch.
Sascha appreciated that he did not comment on the utter mess on the couch behind them.
„Is this the time for card games?"
Jasper smirked again then, and it was a real one, even if a little weaker than usual. „When is it not?"
„Point taken", Sascha moved to sit cross legged in front of him as he started to shuffle the cards and then deal them out. „Where's Alice?"
„With Esme and Carlisle. I told her I'd come check on you, she might join later."
Sascha nodded, glad that Alice wasn't alone and he had made sure of that first. But also that she wasn't trapped in her own head anymore for the time being.
They started playing then, they both knew it was just to distract themselves a little while longer of what was to come. But, in that moment, it was all any of them could do really. The real bitter work would start with the next sunrise. Training, until it was time for the real conflict.
But the distraction was good. They played several rounds, sabotaging each other, even if it came at the cost of their own points. Laughing, teasing. It helped.
Alice did join them not too long after, the sun wasn't up yet at least. She still looked shaken up, but less so and simply sat down next to Sascha, wanting to watch them play.
„Uno!", Sascha slammed down her second to last card again, and then gasped at Jasper's expression. „Oh no, don't you dare. Please don't!"
„Sorry, Darlin', it's the game."
He was not sorry at all, snickering almost like a happy child when he flicked down a +4. Sascha whined immaturely, making his amusement all the bigger, and begrudgingly drew her four cards, destroying her lead yet again.
And then Jasper even took it a step further by laying down a suspension card, making the count on his hand 3.
„Oh my god, you bastard", Sascha gasped. „I swear, I'll get you for this."
All three laughed freely then, the situation just too ridiculous. Sascha hid her face behind her cards a little, leaning back when chuckles rippled through her. And suddenly, because apparently she wasn't allowed to have good things for longer than five minutes, a thought hit her.
Her and Jasper's laughter stopped simultaneously, Alice's a moment after.
„What is it?" There was deep worry in Jasper's voice. Of course he would've felt her shift.
„I'm… I'm going to miss this." Sascha lowered her cards to her lap.
Alice moved a little closer to her. „What do you mean?"
„After all of this is over", Sascha paused, then looked at the two of them. „I just noticed how attached I've grown to… being here."
Jasper set his cards down completely. The game was over, apparently. „The world becomes quite small when you have an eternity to spend in it."
Alice nodded, though sadness seemed to pull at her brows too. „We can… visit. Or you us."
Sascha felt the familiar burn behind her eyes yet again. She had learned from Esme at some point it was their venom. Great. „Yeah, I guess."
Alice leaned in to hug her side then, squeezing Sascha tightly as though even the clairvoyant was afraid for a moment she would simply vanish. It seemed all of them had successfully ignored their temporary situation. Sascha had grown so close to the Cullens, especially Jasper and Alice, in such a short time. Thinking about it then surprised Sascha even a little bit.
She hadn't realised when exactly her mere tolerance of staying due to lack of alternatives had changed to reluctance of leaving. To whole heartedly enjoying daily life with them. From foreign to familiarity. It had completely slipped her otherwise oh so meticulous attention. It seemed she hadn't been the only one to be blind sided by this change.
Sascha, not having much other mobility in her arms with the way Alice had wrapped herself around her, lifted her hands and grabbed Alice's lower arm, as though to hide away in Alice's embrace even further, and closed her eyes. Could this moment not last forever?
Another pair of arms wrapped around her then - the two of them, Sascha realised - as Jasper pulled them both close as well. He did not take away Sascha's momentary heartache, and she was glad for it. She knew she needed to feel it in the moment. But she could still feel him, like she had noticed on other occasions before, just on the edges of her emotional periphery. It gave her great comfort.
Sascha rested her head against his chest, accepting their embrace fully, and tried to take it all in. Having these two wonderful people with her. Glad that she not only sought their support, but they also opened their vulnerabilities to her. And in this moment, the three of them sharing it together.
Maybe it would be okay. At least for the moment, in their own little eternity. Maybe that would have to be enough.
End Notes:
I really loved writing this chapter. Similar to Sascha's first proper confrontation with Eddy-Dearest, you might notice here as well that there's some... dare I say pent up anger toward Jacob. Safe to say, on my side hahah Sascha is vicariously making some room for that for me. Also, just a taste of what's to come. We are putting douchebags and pricks in their places here.
Also, seems like Sascha's continued repressing of her feelings is slowly catching up with her.
The next chapter is going to be around and during the ✨Training Scene✨ which I actually always enjoyed a lot during the movies. I am afraid I won't be able to post next week though. I'm leaving my home country on Monday, and I think it's safe to say, I'm going to need next week to get a grip on what is even going on. So I'll be grateful for your patience. I'll do my best to post again on February 27th.
Lastly, at guest Ydntk's comment about Sascha's gift on the previous chapter: I'm excited to hear you're theorising on the extent and nature of her gift! I don't want to give away anything, but what I will say is that there is still a lot of skill developing Sascha is going to go through with her gift. I hope you'll enjoy that particular journey with me. I have put a lot of thought into it so far.
Alright, that's it from me. Take care everyone and I hope you'll have a good day~
Posted: 17.02.23
Last Edit: 17.02.23