Here is the next chapter. I know. I know. It's been two months. I can only offer my apologies. This chapter is officially the end of Twilight. We'll be moving on to the two chapters for the summer in between Twilight and New Moon. I don't own anything you recognize. Shout out to my beta: Breaiden0413!
They walked in silence until the ballet studio was out of sight. The smoke billowing from the building was still visible and the sound of sirens could still be heard. When they were a safe distance away, Jasper called a cab, and they waited briefly for its arrival. Blair tried to process the last few hours. She tried to think of what she was going to tell her mother when she arrived, and how she was going to mend things between Bella and their dad.
James's narcissistic, psychopathic attitude had sent everything into a mess that needed to be cleaned up. She knew that the Cullens had already arrived in Phoenix, and she wondered if her sister's overprotective boyfriend would make a dramatic scene or be thankful that Bella hadn't needed to get involved. Not that Blair particularly cared either way.
They piled into the cab, and she scooted closer to Jasper, who put his arm around her and buried his face into her hair, which undoubtedly smelled like smoke. He didn't seem to care. She gave a small smile to Peter and Charlotte, both of whom looked content as they sat close together. She could only hope that this event didn't trigger any painful memories for them. Maybe they felt that it was business as usual, which was a sad thing in itself.
It didn't take them long to reach their hotel, and the Cullens were waiting outside. Edward had his arms around Bella, his mouth set in a thin line. Jasper quickly paid the cab driver and helped Blair out of the car before making their way over to his family. Carlisle stepped forward first, his eyes filled with relief at the safety of his family.
"This was a very dangerous plan. Blair could have gotten hurt. Why didn't you wait for us?" He started, his tone somehow gentle and stern at the same time.
"Don't be mad at them. It was my idea, and there wasn't enough time to wait. James would have figured out that we knew he didn't have my mom and ran," Blair defended, "And in all honesty, it doesn't matter how dangerous it was, the plan worked and that's all that matters."
Carlisle hesitated, "Yes, but if it hadn't…"
"But it did," Charlotte interrupted. Carlisle sighed but nodded. While he was the coven leader, and didn't agree with their methods of defeating James, lecturing three vampires who had seen more war than any of the coven members combined like they were toddlers was disrespectful to them. And Blair…well Blair made her own decisions.
Bella broke free of Edward's embrace and hurried over to wrap her arms around her sister. Blair hugged her back, feeling relieved that her sister was safe. Bella let go and returned back to Edward's arms. The vampire pulled her closer.
"You really do have balls of steel, Blair," Emmett commented with a goofy smile, "But it's unfair that you guys took out the tracker without me. You guys spoil all my fun," He pouted. Rosalie elbowed him and pulled Blair into a hug. The girl was shocked for a moment before returning the hug.
"You're a moron, you know that?" Rosalie whispered, with a slight harshness in her voice.
"I'm aware," She replied dryly.
"I'm sure you wanna take a shower," Alice said gently. Blair felt exhaustion seep into her bones. The adrenaline that had left her body left her legs shaky. Jasper took her arm and began to lead her inside. As they passed Edward, he placed a hand on her shoulder, and she paused to look at him.
"Thank you," He said simply. She lifted an eyebrow and gave him a nod. Jasper began to lead her to the hotel room. When they got to the room, she went inside and went straight to her suitcase to pull out some clothes.
She felt his presence come up behind her, and briefly wondered if she'd always be so hyperaware of him. His arms came to wrap around her shoulders, and she felt his hair brush the nape of her neck before his lips pressed to her hair.
"You could have died," He murmured lowly.
"But I didn't. This was the plan, and it worked. I never once thought that you wouldn't get there in time," She said as she picked through her clothes.
"Your faith in me is either flattering or foolish," Jasper muttered.
"Maybe both?" She questioned. Getting used to her expressions, he knew she was smirking, and shook his head in amused exasperation.
"You're gonna be the death of me, Swan." She turned around in his arms and looked up at him.
"I guess it's a good thing you're indestructible." He rolled his eyes to the ceiling and gently pushed her towards the bathroom.
"Take your shower. I think Peter and Charlotte want to take you to get something to eat." Alone. It was unspoken, but Blair knew that it was time to hash out everything they'd kept from her. She took a deep breath and nodded.
"Tell Bella to start thinking about what she's going to say to Mom." He nodded and left her to give her some privacy. Blair turned the water to scalding before stripping her clothes and stepped into the shower. The heat started to relax the muscles that were already starting to become sore from where James had slammed her into the wall.
The upcoming conversation weighed on her mind, and she felt anger she hadn't allowed herself to feel rise in her gullet. First it was because she was just happy to see Peter and Charlotte, then it was because she had to fear for her life. Now that her life wasn't in danger, the emotions that had been pushed into the back of her mind came to the front and center.
Peter and Charlotte had saved her life, but what was their motive? Why did they stay with her for 3 years? She didn't want to believe that every action they took was just for Jasper's sake. She wanted to believe that she was Blair to them and not just Jasper's mate.
It made some things make sense, like Peter's anger when she'd slept with Paul, and now she felt like a prized cow that had already been bought and paid for that they were in charge of taking care of until the owner came to pick her up. Should she just be grateful that they'd saved her life? Did she have the right to be angry when if it hadn't been for Peter and Charlotte, she'd be cold in the ground.
The thought of losing them made her sick to her stomach. All the memories of the last three years flashed through her mind, and Blair prayed that they wouldn't be tainted in the coming hours.
"Trying to drown yourself?" Blair looked up startled. Rosalie's voice had come from the other side of the bathroom door.
"That would be a waste considering what I've done to stay alive so far," She replied softly over the water, but she knew Rosalie could hear her.
"Peter and Charlotte are waiting for you," Rosalie replied back gently. Part of Blair just wanted to go to sleep, and not think about anything at all. But her mother would be here soon, and there would be no time to talk to them about it until after they went back to Forks. The anger would have time to fester longer than it already had, so it was probably best to go ahead and get it over with.
She got out of the shower and quickly put some clothes on. She ran the towel through her hair before throwing it up into a bun, still slightly wet. She took a deep breath before she opened the bathroom door and went into the living room. Peter and Charlotte were waiting, and the other vampires were nowhere to be found. Peter actually looked nervous.
"I figured we could go to the diner you love," He said. She nodded, not saying anything. They hopped into the Cullen's car and started to drive. It was silent as the occupants tried to decide how to start the conversation.
When they got to the diner, they were seated quickly. The waitress stared at Peter and Charlotte, who averted their eyes to the table to avoid her seeing the burgundy color.
"Coffee and a piece of key lime pie, please," Blair said sternly. She couldn't blame the waitress for staring but didn't have the patience at the moment to be understanding. The girl nodded quickly and scurried off to get Blair's order, her face red in embarrassment.
"B…," Peter started.
"Why did you save me that night?" She asked, cutting him off. The two vampires blanched, but Blair pushed forward, "Was it because you knew who I was…who I was to him?" She waited with bated breath for their answer, an answer she already knew.
"Yes," Peter replied lowly. Blair flinched, even though she was prepared for the answer. She felt stupid for not having seen it before, for not putting it together. But she hadn't wanted to know. The waitress returned with her order, sat it down and left without another word. Blair picked up her coffee in order to have something in her hands.
"Why'd you stay? Was it all for Jasper's sake?" She asked quietly.
"No," Charlotte defended quickly, "We were led to save you that night, but we wanted to stay with you. To get to know you."
"Because I'm Jasper's mate? That's why you pushed so hard for me to accept him. I should have figured it out when you told me that your maker lived in the same town as my father." Peter ran a hand over his face at her words.
"B, I'm not going to lie to you anymore. My gift told me who you were as soon as I laid eyes on you, but we stayed with you because we love you. We wanted to be around you. For the first time in a long time, we felt like we had a family outside of Jasper," He said gently and Charlotte nodded in agreement. Blair kept her hope at bay at his words.
"It makes me feel that liking me was a consolation prize, that I was just a job to you both. Protect Jasper's mate and then drop her off when the time comes, and I become his problem," Blair replied tiredly.
"That's not true," Charlotte hissed angrily, causing Blair to look at her in surprise, "Yes, we saved you because we knew who you were, but that's not why we stayed for three years. All the things we did together, all those memories are real. It may have started out as protecting you because of who you were to Jasper, but it's not the way it is now. We'd die for you."
Blair swallowed hard at her words. A tear leaked out of the corner of her eye, and she wiped it away angrily. But Charlotte's words spurred hope to rise, and she looked down at the table. She hadn't taken a bite of her pie yet, but she wasn't hungry.
"I just…I love you both so much. You're my best friends. I don't want to think that you only love me too because of who I am to Jasper."
"That's not the way it is, B. Not at all. We swear it to you. You're our human as much as you are Jasper's. What would I do without you making me want to pull my hair out?" Peter joked slightly. His words had the reaction he'd hoped as Blair tried to smother a grin.
"Why is it people keep saying that? I'm not that frustrating."
"He just wants to excuse the bald spot on the back of his head," Charlotte teased.
"There is no bald spot!" Peter said as he ran a hand over his hair. There obviously wasn't a bald spot, but it was so much fun teasing him. Blair chuckled before sobering again.
"Don't lie to me again." Her voice was somber. She wasn't going to shut them out of her life because of this. Could she blame them for saving her because they knew who she was to their maker? No. Could she be angry at them for keeping it from her for so long? Yes, but they'd saved her life again. They'd been there for her for years, so maybe they deserved a pass. It all worked out in the end, better than she could have ever imagined actually.
"We promise," Peter said gently, feeling relieved that they were going to move past this. Blair could have been infinitely more stubborn about it.
"Now you just have to figure out what to tell your mother." Blair groaned and put her head on the table before pursing her lips and glancing up at them.
"What would you say to meeting her…along with Jasper?" The two vampires lifted their eyebrows. They had never been introduced to her mother, keeping their distance.
"You want us to meet your mother?" Charlotte questioned curiously. Blair nodded.
"She's going to meet Jasper, so she might as well meet you too. You're important to me, and I want her to know you…before it's too late," Blair murmured the last part. Charlotte reached across the table and clasped her hand.
"We'd love to meet your mother," She replied gently.
"Even if I do have to wear those stupid contacts," Peter muttered petulantly.
"Poor baby," Blair said with fake sympathy. Peter snorted and sent her a fake glare. She finally took a bite of her pie, feeling lighter than she had in days.
/
"So do you have any idea what you're going to say to Mom?" Blair asked Bella as they stood in front of their old house, the Cullens and Peter and Charlotte standing beside them. The sun had already set, so fortunately they could come out to meet Renee. Bella shook her head, biting her lip nervously.
"Not a clue. What about you?" Blair shook her head. Their mother had called and demanded they meet her at the house as she was mere minutes away. The anger in her voice was palpable.
The car pulled up moments later, and Renee opened the door before the car even came to a full stop. Their mother seemed to not have even noticed the family standing behind her daughters, focusing solely on her girls.
"What were you guys thinking? Traveling all the way from Oregon without even calling me to tell me you were coming. What if something had happened?" She demanded, her hands on her hips as she reached them. Phil got out of the car and followed cautiously, looking slightly stricken at his wife's anger. The man had spent the last few hours listening to his wife rant about his stepdaughters and their foolishness.
"Mom…" Bella started, "I'm sorry. I just…I just freaked out. I don't have a good excuse," She stuttered out.
"Your father is worried sick and you think it's a good idea not to pick up the phone for him?" Renee ground out. Bella blanched at the mention of Charlie, the last words she said to him and the expression that followed still fresh in her mind.
"Mom, it's all just a misunderstanding. Bella will talk to dad and sort it all out," Blair said. She heard Carlisle clear his throat behind her and her mother's eyes landed on the vampires for the first time. Renee's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open.
"I apologize for intruding on your conversation with your daughters, but I feel as if this is our fault as well. Our children didn't react the best in this situation, and we came down to try and help sort it all out." The coven's leader's voice was persuasive and gentle, and Blair could see her mother was charmed from his politeness the moment he opened his mouth.
"Well…um…" Renee shook her head, "I'm sorry. I'm Renee and this is my husband, Phil." Phil stepped forward, his eyes as wide as his wife's.
"Why don't we go inside so that we can all talk," Blair's stepfather suggested. Carlisle smiled and nodded. Rosalie, Emmett, and Alice had stayed behind at the hotel, but cramming 10 people in their small Arizona home was still a feat. Most of the Cullens stood awkwardly to the side.
"Um," Renee blushed, "Why don't we take this out onto the back porch? There are plenty of seats out there." There was more shuffling as they headed towards the back of the house. Fortunately, the back porch was bigger and had several chairs for the visitors, as Blair's mother had always enjoyed having friends over during monsoon season, so that they could watch the storms from afar.
"Mom, I'd like to introduce you to Carlisle and Esme Cullen. Peter and Charlotte Whitlock. Edward Cullen. And Jasper…Hale," Blair introduced as they sat down. Her mother's eyes widened as she took in the man her daughter had talked to her about. Good Lord, they were all so good-looking. Her anger was momentarily forgotten, as Renee felt excited at meeting the boy that Blair had been telling her about.
If the boy Edward's need to be close to Bella, and the looks he was giving her youngest daughter was any indication, there was a lot Bella hadn't told her. It seemed that both of her girls were involved with someone. Renee supposed that she shouldn't have been surprised that Bella hadn't told her. Blair had always been more open about her life than her sister.
"I apologize that this is the way we're meeting," Jasper said politely as he came to stand behind Blair's chair.
"Yes. I'm sorry for the way I acted when first arriving…it's just," Renee started.
"Oh, we understand completely. This is an unusual situation. We'll be more than happy to let you discuss things with your daughters, and head back to the hotel until a decision is made," Carlisle said politely. Renee nodded, knowing that she needed to discuss things with Blair and Bella.
/
Bella and their mom talked for a good hour. Blair could only assume that it went well, because Bella came in from the back porch as she and Phil were watching baseball in order to call Charlie. She didn't listen in on the conversation but knew that they would be headed back to Forks soon.
Blair walked outside to sit with her mother. Renee had a far away look on her face as she stared out into the desert.
"She's definitely my daughter. Running away at first sign of trouble." Blair furrowed her eyebrows at her mother's words, confused. Renee turned to look at her, "I guess the difference is that she's going back and I never did. I'm guessing you're going back too?"
"Yeah. I came down here for her," Blair replied softly. Renee grinned.
"I can't blame you after seeing what Jasper looks like. They didn't make them like that when I went to high school. The whole family hit the holy grail of genetics," She said with a grin.
"Mom!" Blair snorted out through her laughter.
"I'm just saying. Just know that you both always have a room at my house. Phil got signed right before we left Jacksonville." Phil had excitedly told Blair about it already and she was very happy for her stepfather.
"You're still coming to Forks for my graduation, right?" Renee smiled gently.
"I wouldn't miss it for the world. You seem to have some good friends in them, and I'm so happy you've found someone you like being around. It seems like you've been alone since…" Her mother stopped short, not wanting to think about that night her sophomore year when she could have very well been taken from the world.
Blair gave her a soft smile. She hadn't been alone. She'd had Peter and Charlotte, and now she had Jasper and the Cullens. Her world was filled with more love than she knew what to do with.
"And Bella is with Jasper's brother…Edward?" Renee questioned. She didn't miss the smile leaving Blair's face, and could immediately tell that her oldest daughter didn't like the penny-headed boy, "What? You don't like him?" Blair sighed.
"Mom, I'm not trying to bias you against him. Bella loves him and he loves her," She replied. Renee crossed her arms and gave her the 'mother' look. Blair sighed, "I just think that their love is more like an obsession. Like they need each other to breathe, and in the process have lost themselves as individuals. She follows him around like a puppy, and he has a tight hold on her leash." Renee frowned. Bella thought that she was the observant one between the two girls, but Blair had always been sharper in that area. If Blair didn't like someone, then Renee was inclined to trust her eldest.
Blair saw the wheels turning in her mother's head. Her normally care-free expression was replaced by a frown, and Blair groaned, "Mom, get to know him and make your own inference about him. Charlie already can't stand him because Bella left because of him. Bella knows I don't like him, so she needs someone in her corner. It's already too late for me to pretend to like him." Renee snorted, knowing that Blair had probably made her dislike of the boy apparent already.
"Fine. Fine. I'll be the fun and understanding parent," Renee said, playfully exasperated.
"As always," Blair said with a smile.
/
They spent two more days with their mother and Phil. Renee met the rest of the Cullen clan and spent time with Peter and Charlotte, to Blair's delight. Her mother was charmed by their personalities and how they seemed to love her oldest daughter.
Blair felt slightly bad for the suspicious looks Renee kept giving Edward, who in return glared at her out of the corner of his eye when he thought no one was looking. Her mother's thoughts probably gave their conversation away, but Edward didn't tell Bella, which made the elder girl thankful. She really wasn't in the mood for a lecture.
Blair explained to Jasper what she had said, and he had a good laugh at his brother's expense. He'd promised not to use his gift in order to get Renee to like him, but it turns out that he wouldn't have needed to regardless. Renee absolutely loved him, sending Blair impressed looks and a few winks her way. Blair just rolled her eyes, shaking her head in mock exasperation.
Renee absolutely adored Peter and Charlotte, the latter of which reminded her of Blair, with his endless wit and snarky attitude.
When it was time to go home, the two girls hugged their mother goodbye, who promised to see them soon at Blair's graduation before they separated into their separate car. Thankfully, Bella was flying back with most of the Cullen family, while Blair was driving the car back with Jasper, Peter, and Charlotte.
They were half-way back to Washington when Victoria was brought up. The mood turned slightly solemn at the mention of the missing red head.
"We'll have to take her down as soon as possible," Peter said stoically.
"Will she know…that he's gone?" Blair asked. Jasper sighed and nodded.
"Yeah, she'd have felt it when it happened. Her sanity will disintegrate rapidly from here, and an insane vampire is hard to catch, especially if she's as good at escaping as the tracker eluded," He said. Blair bit her lip, wondering what that would mean was coming. Charlotte grasped her hand from beside her.
"Your only focus is to graduate, Blair. We'll take care of it." Peter nodded at his wife's words.
"I've already been in contact with some of our nomad friends. Garrett has always loved a good hunt," He said confidently. Jasper glanced at her from the rear-view mirror and winked at her. It had a calming effect as she took in his confidence of the situation. She had to believe that this was all going to work out in the end.
Blair could only hope that everything was going to work out. It had to work out.
/
Two weeks later
Things were finally getting back to normal after the awkwardness of their return. Charlie had accepted them back with open arms. Bella and he had talked through everything, but that didn't mean that everything was forgotten. There had been an air of tension around the house that was finally starting to slowly evaporate.
Blair was spending as much time as she could between the Cullen house and her own, alternating nights watching sports with Charlie, and spending nights with her mate and the vampires she considered to be family.
They were as close as ever. Jasper tried to keep her mind off of Victoria by stating that she was being tracked at that very moment. She would be found and be out of their lives forever very soon.
Jasper didn't tell her that James's words had rung true. The red-headed vampire's gift was that of escaping, as several of his nomad friends had gotten close to her only for her to get out of arm's reach and disappear. They would all have to join the hunt soon. The longer they waited, the less sane she would be, and the harder it would be to find her.
Regardless, Blair and Jasper's relationship was progressing. Heavy make-out sessions with mild petting that left both feeling unsatisfied. Jasper always stopped it before it got too far, making Blair wonder if he might have had Edward's view on sex with humans. Was he afraid he'd hurt her? Was he waiting for some other reason? Whatever the reason, it left Blair feeling increasingly frustrated.
Finally, she sought some girl time with Charlotte to bring up the subject. She finally introduced her vampires to her father, and now they were over at her house almost as much as she was over at the Cullens.
Fortunately, her father had the night shift, and Bella was staying with Edward. So, she invited Charlotte over for some much-needed girl talk. They were eating popcorn and watching a 90's horror flick before Blair had the courage to broach the subject. Blair cleared her throat.
"So has Jasper said anything to Peter about…um…about me?" Charlotte turned to her and lifted an eyebrow.
"You're all he talks about these days. What about you specifically?" Her friend questioned. Blair pursed her lips before deciding to go for it.
"About the possibility of sex…with me." Charlotte's eyes widened at her words.
"Peter doesn't want to hear that in concerns to you. I don't even want to hear that in concerns to you," Charlotte said, alarmed. Blair huffed.
"C'mon. I can't talk to Rosalie and Alice about their brother's sex life, and I definitely can't talk with Bella about it, who'd most likely turn it into a conversation about her and Edward's future sex life…if they ever get one." Blair poked out her lip and looked at her oldest friend, who sighed before pausing the movie and turning to her.
"Well, what are you wanting to talk about?" Charlotte knew that Blair didn't have many people in the world she trusted to talk to. If the girl had concerns, they should be taken seriously with someone who would be honest with her.
"We haven't gotten very far in that area. Do you think it's because he thinks he'll hurt me?" She asked. Charlotte laid her head against her hand and looked pensive for a moment.
"Could be. Jasper has more control over his strength than a lot of vampires. Maybe, it's because he wants it to be perfect. He knows how you are about privacy, and it's hard to be private in a house full of vampires," Charlotte reasoned. Blair rolled her eyes.
"The first time is never perfect. But I guess could see that. I don't want to go all 'prom night' and rent a hotel to do the deed either. That would be even more awkward," Blair said miserably. Charlotte patted her hand.
"It'll happen when the time is right."
"Yeah, I guess. And then the mating bond will be complete, which is a big step in and of itself. Do you think he's trying to hold off on completing it?" Blair didn't want to think negative, but she couldn't help the thoughts that said that maybe Jasper wasn't ready to be completely tied down by the bond.
"Are you really ready for it?" Charlotte questioned. Blair shrugged and ran a hand through her hair.
"I don't know. I still don't see why I should be punished with a lack of a sex life because of it," She grumbled. Char snorted with laughter.
"It'll happen when it happens, B." Blair pondered for a moment before looking at Charlotte with a curious look on her face. The vampire narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"About that…what do you think it's like for a vampire and a human?"
"What do you mean?" Blair hid a grin, knowing her next question would make her friend uncomfortable.
"Well…his body temperature is ice cold, and mine is a warm 98.6. Would it be like shoving a popsicle up there?" Charlotte's eyebrows disappeared into her hairline and her mouth dropped open.
"Blair!"
"It's a genuine question, Char!" Charlotte shook her head, refusing to answer. Peter and Blair were too much alike. Neither of them had any sort of filter between their brain and their mouth.
"I don't even want to think about it with you. But you know what you should keep in mind?" Char asked. Blair smirked at her, thoroughly enjoying the look on her friend's face.
"That I probably shouldn't lead with a hand job to seduce him, because I could never compare to what he can do to himself?" A pillow hit her in the face gently and Blair collapsed in peals of laughter.
"No," Charlotte said tartly, "That he loves you." Blair stopped laughing and looked down with a smile.
"Yeah, he does."
/
"I still cannot believe you convinced me to go to prom." Blair said from the end of Jasper's bed. Her hair was done to perfection, and she was wearing a knee-length pink dress that hugged her curves perfectly. Jasper adjusted his bowtie before turning to her, causing her to look him up and down appreciatively, "On the other hand…"
"Mmm. It's a traditional human experience, darlin'. I don't want you to miss out." He kissed the corner of her mouth.
"I went to my prom last year. Warm punch and sweaty bodies. I'm still not sure how Edward convinced Bella to go. Maybe he breathed on her." Jasper snorted, knowing full well that his younger brother could dazzle his mate into just about anything. His own took a lot more convincing.
"Well last year, you weren't accompanied by me. I have to keep up with Norman 'Your Daughter Calls Me Daddy Too' Leith." He pulled her to her feet and twirled her around before pulling her closer, "Have I told you about how delectable you look in that dress?"
"You could tell me again. I never say no to more compliments." He chuckled and kissed her fully on the mouth.
Jasper was right in that prom was more magical with him than it had been the year before. They spent the night dancing, and hanging out with Rosalie, Emmett, and Alice when they weren't dancing. Peter and Char couldn't come, although the girl helped her with her hair and make-up. Peter had whistled jokingly and told them to behave. But they didn't go to high-school, and it might have inspired a Mean Girl's scene of: "She doesn't even go here." So they decided it was better if they stayed at home.
Bella looked extremely awkward dancing with Edward, and Blair felt almost bad for her. She knew that her sister hadn't wanted to come in the first place. Neither had she for that matter, but if she'd really been insistent on not going then Jasper would have relented. Edward seemed to have no qualms about tricking Bella into coming.
Eventually, Jasper pulled Alice up to dance after an encouraging smile and a nod that she would be fine. They joined Rosalie and Emmett on the dance floor and began twirling around the other couples with much more grace than any of the other high school students. Some stopped in awe to watch as they seemed to float, causing Blair to snort in amusement as the eyes followed them.
"Are you enjoying the dance?" Blair looked up in surprise as Edward sat down at their table. Bella was by the punch bowl, talking with Jessica and glancing over at them every few seconds.
"Yes. More than I thought I would," She replied, keeping her eyes on her dancing friends.
"I never got the chance to truly thank you for what you did for Bella that day. You risked your own life to keep her safe, and I'll never be able to repay that. I'm shocked that Jasper allowed you to go through with it," Edward said quietly. Blair's nostrils flared in anger, and she cut her eyes at him.
"Jasper doesn't allow me to do anything." Edward pinched the bridge of his nose. Blair was even more stubborn than Bella. He wondered if the sound coming from her mind had something to do with her personality: Unyielding and defensive. He had tried to read her mind a handful of times since that first day, and they all yielded the same results: a high-pitched sound that had her gripping his head. It wasn't always present, only appearing when he actively tried in invade her thoughts.
"You aren't fond of me. Although I'm not sure what I've done to earn your distain." Blair looked over at him.
"You're controlling. You love my sister. That much is obvious, but you treat her like an invalid who can't make her own decisions," Blair responded sharply, wondering when the song would be over, and Jasper would come and rescue her from the conversation.
"I'm just trying to keep her safe," Edward ground out.
"Does keeping her safe mean drowning out who she is as an individual? My sister and I have never been close, but I, at least, thought that when she fell in love with someone, she would keep to her principles. She tells me you're at odds about the whole changing her thing. That you won't even hear her out," Blair ground out just as fiercely. Edward looked at her angrily.
"Don't let your views on this rub off on her. She doesn't know what she's asking."
"And why is that?" She countered, "Is it because you won't even talk with her about what it's like? What she's going to have to give up? Because it shouldn't be my job to teach her. It should be yours."
"That is between Bella and I. Stay out of it," Edward snarled. The sound seemed to grasp Jasper's attention on the dance floor. He looked over quickly, noticing the angry looks on his mate and Edward's faces. His lip curled over his teeth, and he spoke quickly to Alice before beginning to head over to them.
"Tell me, Edward. Are you interested in a mate or a blind follower? Because at the rate you're going, that's what you're going to get. Grow up," Blair snarled back. Edward glared at her before glancing at Jasper, who had almost reached them, and furiously pushed away from the table before stalking over to Bella.
"What did he say to you?" Jasper asked, his glare following his brother to where he stood. Blair glanced up at him and shook her head.
"Nothing important. Edward and I can't seem to get through a conversation without arguing."
"What did he…" Jasper started.
"It's fine," She cut him off, "There's no need to start an argument with your brother over this. It's been a good night. Let's just leave it at that." Jasper looked at her for a long moment, glancing back and forth between her and where Edward stood. Blair rolled her eyes and grasped his hand to pull him down to the seat next to her.
"If he said something bad to you, you need to tell me," Jasper growled.
"He didn't. Just a difference in opinion," She replied. He snorted.
"That's all you both seem to have." Blair pretended to look affronted.
"Whitlock, are you trying to say I'm difficult to get along with?"
"Only in the literal sense, darlin'," He replied, finally relinquishing a smirk from his previous snarl. Blair huffed out a laugh, before giving him a look.
"You wanna get out of here? You can help me get out of this dress, followed by a very heavy make-out session." His eyes blazed at her playful suggestion. Without another word, he pulled her up and they headed out of the gym.
/
"I present to you: The graduating class of 2005!" Cheers and claps rang out as everyone threw their hats in the air. Blair was smiling, catching her father, mother, and Phil in the crowd. Both were on their feet, clapping hard and grinning at her.
It was almost worth the ugly yellow gown they'd made her put on for the ceremony. She wasn't near Jasper, as their names were on opposite sides of the alphabet, but he cheered hard when her name was called. Peter and Charlotte were sitting in the back with the rest of the Cullen clan, and Blair knew that it was Peter who was whistling and hollering as she walked across the stage.
Her high school career was over. There was a sad edge to her happiness. Now it meant that it was coming time to make some hard decisions, and as she found her parents' faces amongst the sea of others, she didn't know how she'd ever be able to say goodbye.
Victoria had yet to be found, which was worrying to say the least. Jasper was worried that the realization that others were hunting her would cause the vampire to descend into madness quicker. He knew Victoria had no intention of making it out alive, which led him to wonder as to what extremes she would go to before ending it all. He had kept Blair very close the last couple of months.
Blair, herself, wondered if it would be better to be changed earlier, and eliminate her weakness as a human. Jasper had shot that idea down immediately. He wasn't going to let her give up her last couple of years with her parents because of this. Besides, blood-thirsty newborns were rarely good in a fight against an older vampire, too easily driven by their instincts.
Jasper made his way over to her side, pulling her close as her family made their way over to them. Peter reached her first and lifted her up off the ground, swinging her around.
"Congratulations, B!" He crowed. Charlotte pulled her into a hug, squeezing gently. Her parents reached them, along with Bella, and her dad followed suit with Charlotte's hug, squeezing more tightly than the vampire had.
"I can't believe my baby just graduated high school," Her mother blubbered through tears, which she wiped away, slightly embarrassed.
"How about we go out to eat? Anywhere you want," Charlie said before turning to Carlisle, "You and your family are welcome to come," He offered although he gave a disdainful glance at Edward as he said it. Things had definitely not been great between the two.
"Thank you for the offer," Carlisle replied, "But my wife and I were hoping to celebrate with Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie." Charlie nodded understandingly.
"I'm going to go pull the car around," Charlie said. Renee and Phil hugged her before telling her they'd meet her at the restaurant and headed to their own rental car.
"So, how was your first time graduating high school?" Emmett asked, nudging her playfully. Blair snorted.
"My only time graduating high school. I'm not as crazy as you guys to repeat this experience again." Emmett boomed with laughter and Rosalie smirked. The blonde beauty made the ugly yellow gown look good, and Blair couldn't help but be slightly envious.
She felt Jasper stiffen beside her with Peter following suit as he stared into the crowd. Blair's brows furrowed in confusion at his change of mood before following his line of sight. Paul. The shifter was standing an entire head above the crowd. Sam lingered behind him, careful to keep an eye on his most volatile shifter. He'd come to see her graduate. Blair put a hand on Jasper's arm.
"It's ok. I'm going to go talk to him. I'll see you guys after dinner." Jasper frowned but gave her a nod, having every intention of sticking around until the dog left. Blair could feel their eyes on her as she made her way over to where Paul was standing.
"You came," Were the first words out of her mouth when she reached him. She'd sent him an invite but hadn't expected him to show.
"It's your graduation day," Paul replied gruffly. Blair was touched that he'd looked past his differences to come support her. She hadn't had much contact with the shifters, besides a quick conversation with Sam after they'd come back from Phoenix. And that was only to tell him that the vampires who'd killed the mill worker had been taken care of.
"Thank you for coming." She put her arms around his waist and hugged him. He hesitated before she felt his arms come around her shoulder and hug her gently back.
"This doesn't change anything. It doesn't change how I feel about you being around them," He stated when they pulled back. Blair nodded.
"I know. Thank you all the same." He nodded in reply and glanced back at Sam.
"I have to get going…Take care of yourself, B." He swiftly turned around and marched out the door with Sam following behind. Blair watched him go and sighed. Despair welled up in her gut and she looked down at the floor. She was already having to give up the people she loved, and it wasn't even time for her change yet. Blair inhaled sharply, before looking up and exiting the building, easily spotting her father and Bella in the police cruiser. She quickly got in and they were off to dinner, no one mentioning how quiet she had gotten.
/
"It's hard to believe that high school is over," Blair said to Jasper as they laid in her bed later that night. Her mother and Phil had gone back to their hotel, having an early flight to catch back to Jacksonville the next morning. They'd gone to The Lodge to eat, and everything had been relaxed, once she'd become determined to enjoy the time with her family, despite her short conversation with Paul.
Jasper pulled her closer, "Another milestone passed."
"I have a graduation present for you," She said quietly. He looked down at her with raised eyebrows. She sat up and reached into her bedside nightstand, pulling out a small, wrapped present and handing it to him. He sat up as well and took it from her, "It's nothing big." She blushed slightly.
He pulled apart the wrapping paper gently, revealing a small box. He opened the lid, and inside was a small keychain. It was silver and circular in shape. Despite the darkness, he could make out the script engraved on it perfectly. 'Whitlock and Swan. Always.' It was so simple. No frills. But it was her declaration to him.
But that tiny script meant more to him than she could have possibly imagined. There was so much power in a name, an identity to it that most people took for granted. And seeing hers and his names together made his undead heart feel like it was thumping against his chest.
From a woman who'd been reluctant to let her guard down completely, it felt like she was being vulnerable with him. Her admittance that they were meant for each other was burned into silver. His lips were on hers before she could track his movements, moving urgently against hers. When he pulled away, she took in a moment to catch her breath.
"So, I assume you like it?" He nodded and grinned at her.
"I actually have a gift for you too." He picked up an envelope from where he'd laid his wallet and keys and handed it to her. She grinned, excited as she plucked the envelope from his hands. Her eyebrows rose as she stared at the rectangular paper.
"Tickets to Germany?" She asked in awe.
"You have a passport, right?" He asked with a smile.
So that's it. I'll try and get the next chapter out quickly. Review if you can! Thank you!