JUDGEMENT

"'The Power belongs to him who knows,' and he who knows is then responsible. Therefore the Fool is the one who by effort and suffering has found the secrets of life."

—Eden Gray, The Complete Guide to the Tarot

"Divinatory Meaning: A life well lived, a work well done. Awakening, renewal. Legal judgments in one's favor. A change of personal consciousness, which is now on the verge of blending with the universal.

Reversed: Weakness, disillusion. Fear of death; failure to find happiness. Separation, divorce. Possible loss of worldly goods."

—Joan Bunning, Learning the Tarot

—

DECEMBER 6TH 2039

2:05AM MST

NEDERLAND, COLORADO

The first time Alice ever met Maria of Monterrey was in 1958.

Maria had arrived in the early hours of the morning, just before sunrise, with two newborns in tow and countless questions at the ready. She had been polite, she had been curious, and Alice had not seen her coming until barely twenty minutes before her arrival.

Alice had stood on the porch in between Esme and Rosalie, clinging to both of their hands tightly, and watched silently as Emmett and Carlisle took turns speaking to her. Alice had been taken off guard and had been grateful for Jasper's absence because she had been afraid.

Jasper and Edward had not been home and would not be for another day and night.

They had lived in Calgary for six years at that point and it was the longest stretch of time Alice had spent settled in one spot. Calgary was where she'd felt Jasper grow just as comfortable as she'd always felt around their new family. It was where he took his first college courses. It was where Rosalie and Emmett had renewed their vows for the first time and Alice had been permitted to decorate the entire house.

Calgary was, and always would be, Alice's first real home.

"The Major doesn't," Maria had paused, her mouth twisting into a grimace that was an obvious attempt at hiding a smile, "also eat the ah, creatures?" Then she'd gestured toward her eyes with a flick of her wrist, and her smirk fought its way to the forefront of her expression.

"Our entire family abstains from human blood." Carlisle had been firm yet polite.

Maria had leaned back on the couch, smiling to herself as if enjoying a private joke. The one newborn that she had allowed to accompany her into the house stood at the edge of the room, and Alice watched as he turned away at the sight of Maria's smile, frowning.

Two days later that room would cease to exist, and Alice's throat would burn horrifically as she pulled Esme away from where she sobbed over two dead girls. Esme's arms had been slick with blood and it had taken Alice several seconds to get a decent grip on her and even longer to remove her from the crumbling building.

Now, Maria did not lounge on any of their sofas or entertain them with anecdotes or occupy their time with curious inquiries. There were no polite introductions or patient explanations of her travels. Maria of Monterrey stood in the middle of their kitchen and yelled with the fury and frustration of someone who had been biting their tongue for a long, long time.

Alice could barely hear the noise coming from the garage. The newborns Maria had brought along had been shockingly agreeable despite their distrust, and when Edward quietly confirmed to them that they'd never seen battle nor faced an adversary, Alice was confused. It only supported Maria's story—that she'd created these men for this specific mission and that they had never even set foot in Monterrey—which only confused Alice further.

What Alice had seen was undeniable: Maria may have brought nine men along with her, but what she really brought was aid. That was perhaps the strangest thing of all.

"For months—months! Multiple!—I have been working my ass off to make it so that when I found you, you ungrateful cretin, I'd have more than what I needed! Information and muscle and strategy and all the brains that you sorely lack, you twisted, backward sack of trash! Do you want me to thank you for not killing my men the instant you saw them? Is that it!?"

"Let me know when you get this all out of your system."

Maria laughed. "Oh! Jokes, then! You tell jokes now? It only took two hundred years for someone to take a pick to your skull to split it open and cram a sense of humor into that empty husk?" She turned away from where she was still screaming at Jasper to speak to Carlisle. "I'm sure he got it from you, yes? Do you also dress him? Bathe him? Feed him by hand, of course. He could never take a meal without making a mess of himself like a child who—"

"Oh, shut up already!" Rosalie eventually snapped, and ignored the way Emmett leaned forward to mutter ("Rose, it's not worth it"). "Cut the shit and stop acting like you're doing us a favor."

Maria did not take the bait that was Rosalie's returned temper. She simply stepped away from Jasper to shoot Rosalie a wide, sweet smile. "Oh, but you see my dear? I am."

"How do you know it's Esteban?"

"I'm sorry," Maria turned back toward Jasper, glaring again, "I'm not talking to you yet."

The cap on Rosalie's temper was lifted. "The last five minutes of screaming like a crazy person don't count?"

"Would you like me to pay you more attention, my sweet?"

"Please," Carlisle spoke up. Alice chewed on the inside of her cheek as she watched him try to pick his words carefully. "I understand you've gone through a great deal to find us, but we've been dealing with a threat for a matter of hours and one of us is already dead."

Maria quirked an eyebrow at that and Alice could see the gears turning. Then, she turned toward where the garage was and made a long 'ahh' sound as realization struck. She hummed, as if thoughtful, and then she crossed her arms and rocked back on her heels. Her next few words were spoken slowly, her tone carefully even. "I suspect condolences are in order? Or," her eyes flickered back to Jasper, "should I be expressing a different sentiment?"

"Do not," Jasper's voice was low, furious, and Alice watched from where she stood, just a few steps away from them both, as they exchanged a long angry look.

Everyone in this house knew that Maria had ordered Jasper to kill Charlotte all those years ago.

Peter was in the garage with the newborns. Rosalie and Bella had moved all of the cars out of the garage after they'd all arrived back home and Carlisle had expressed that, until they could have a proper conversation, he would appreciate it if they would be kept separate from his family for now.

Maria agreed, under the condition that no one be allowed to speak to them.

Alice knew how badly Peter wanted to talk to the men he was currently watching. He wanted to question them. To tell them all about the torture Maria had put him through. He wanted to kill them. The only thing that prevented him from doing any of this was the stronger desire to kill whoever had killed Charlotte. Having these men alive would likely only help that quest now.

Peter had not looked relieved when it was discovered that Maria truly had nothing to do with Charlotte's death and Peter's captivity. Instead, he'd bottled his fury. Alice did not have to be Jasper to know that the lid on this emotion was not screwed on very tight.

"If there is a time and place to hash this out, it is certainly not now," Carlisle spoke, his words as soft as he could manage. Alice knew he was intensely uncomfortable as he watched Maria scream so closely to Jasper, and lift an occasional hand to jab him in the chest. Carlisle wanted, just as badly as the rest of them, to move on from this, and to spare Jasper the abuse.

Unfortunately, Alice knew that there was no moving past this confrontation, just through it. So Alice remained quiet and watched.

"Perhaps I'll take my men and leave, then." Maria shrugged as if it mattered little to her. Alice refrained from looking toward Edward. Only the two of them could see right through her façade of indifference.

"If you made it all this way after all this time, clearly it is important to you." Carlisle's words were kind, and Maria reacted indignantly.

"Do not pretend as if you know the first thing about me, Carlisle Cullen."

"I'm going to get the rest of my shit out of the garage," Rosalie muttered to Emmett and then turned to leave.

Emmett appeared torn on where to go next and then decided to follow closely behind. His desire to keep Rosalie company in the presence of nine newborn vampires quickly trumped his urge to join Bella in the library. Bella, despite the chaos transpiring in the kitchen, was looking over the newest set of papers that Alice had posted to the wall prior to their abrupt departure.

Alice could hear Esme and Ness speaking softly in Ness' bedroom; Esme was trying to properly explain who Maria was and why there were now men in their garage and what their presence meant. It was not a conversation that Alice envied her for.

Edward stood at Carlisle's side, glaring daggers into the side of Maria's head. Jasper had not moved once since Maria had started screaming. Instead, he'd straightened up and curled one hand into a fist as she'd yelled and ranted and raved. Then, Alice slowly watched two things happen: he'd pulled one arm, bent at the elbow, behind his back, as the old soldier inside of him stood at attention, and all expression had removed itself from from his face, leaving his eyes deadened and his face still.

The effect Maria had on him nauseated Alice. The only saving grace was knowing that despite the ways Maria could cause harm to her family, she was still unaware of Alice and Edward's gifts. Alice knew Edward was watching her mind with his full attention, unwilling to let anything slide past him. Alice was also giving Maria her own single-minded focus.

Alice didn't think Maria would actually try to hurt Jasper in front of them, but it wouldn't shock her. Alice also knew that while he would defend himself, there was a good chance that Jasper would not fight back.

"They like me, you know," her words were quiet and difficult to hear even inside of the room. Alice knew Maria was keeping her voice low so her newborns in the garage would not be able to hear. "I know you know," she grinned. "How does that make you feel?"

"Like I dodged a bullet." Jasper's words were quick and his face still did not react.

Maria snorted and her hands found her hips. She cocked her head to the side. "We both know you took plenty of those for me."

Alice didn't need the confirmation of Maria's thoughts or the view of her future actions. Alice knew that that was why Maria was here. She wanted Jasper to take another hit for her. The statement found its way out of Alice's mouth, unbidden. "He's after you, too."

Maria's eyes darted to her and Alice hated the narrowed gaze as she slowly looked Alice up and down. Alice knew that Maria hadn't quite forgotten about her presence, but she was very good at acting like it. "Bold assumption."

"Bold plan," Alice looked pointedly toward the door of the garage. "Good job, by the way. You could probably kill one of us in here and they'd still look at you with stars in their eyes."

Maria grinned and did not snap at her for speaking so loudly, and so clearly. "I have that effect on men, little girl."

"Did you draw Esteban here?"

Maria rolled her eyes at Jasper's question, and then turned away from him and walked toward the den. Alice knew that while the worst of Maria's temper wasn't exactly over, this specific battle was being shelved for now. "Please. I'm not cruel."

Maria turned and let herself land backward on the couch, moving fast and gracefully. She lifted two dirtied, bloodstained boots and set them on top of the coffee table, crossing her ankles and folding her arms.

"I'll put this simply: without me, you are all fucked."

"Please," Carlisle started toward the den and slowly sat in the chair across the room from her. "We need to know what we are up against."

Maria stared at the patriarch of their family but her words were intended for Jasper. "You never told them about the fucked up priest, huh?"

"He doesn't have to tell us things he doesn't want to talk about." Edward finally spoke up and his words were almost a shout. Alice wondered what Maria was thinking to prompt such a strong reaction.

"I didn't ask you," her eyes flickered from Carlisle, to Edward, and then landed on Alice. Maria stared for a few seconds. "Oh, you don't know either, do you?"

"Why would you assume that?" Alice didn't know, but Maria couldn't have known that.

"Because the utterance of 'Father Esteban' should have terrified you, child." She jerked her head toward Alice and Alice hated the casual gesture, knowing what Maria wanted. "Don't just look at me girl, get over here."

Alice moved before Jasper could approach. She knew that it was up to her to steer this conversation out of the trenches of anger so they could finally move past this animosity and irritation and finally get somewhere. Alice sat beside Maria and tried not to flinch when she reached out and grabbed Alice's forearm.

"I have two scars that aren't from bites," she started, and Alice's stomach began to churn when Maria held her wrist in front of Alice. Maria gestured to the sleeve, and Alice knew exactly what she was going to say, exactly what Maria wanted to do and what story she was about to share. Dread sat like a rock in her stomach as Alice reached forward and pulled Maria's red sleeve up her arm.

The scar was uglier than Alice expected it to be. There was no noise in the room as everyone looked toward it. Carlisle even stood to step closer and get a better look.

The scar that carved straight up the center of her forearm, stretched from her wrist to the inside of her elbow, was almost a straight line. Maria turned her wrist slightly and Alice saw there was a slight curve to the injury. The words Carlisle prepared to say ("it almost looks like an incision") never got a chance to exist when Maria started to talk.

"The second time the Major and I ever encountered him on the battlefield was the only time we ever underestimated him." Maria twisted her wrist again and snatched Alice's own wrist in her grasp before Alice could flinch away. "In battle, everything moves fast." Maria's eye contact was intense and Alice hated being on the opposite end of it. "Heads roll, limbs tear, pyres light, vampires die. That is how it works. Things move quickly and they end quickly."

Maria slowly pulled back Alice's black sleeve as she spoke, but even knowing Maria's every intention did little to soothe the unease that trickled down her spine. Maria's fingers brushed lightly across the inside of Alice's forearm as the sleeve moved up. One hand gripped her wrist firmly, the other lingered on the skin of her inner arm.

Maria shook her head and clicked her tongue a few times. "Not for Father Esteban. He savors the slowness of death. Now, most of his cult will kill the way they are supposed to as newborns: fast and angry and ugly and loud. He does not do the same thing."

Maria used the tip of her nail to slowly drag its way down Alice's arm with a touch so gentle it was somehow almost painful. Maria kept her eyes locked firmly on Alice's. Alice didn't like this. She did not like this.

No, don't, she thought to Edward before he could take a single step in her direction. It didn't matter how much she hated this contact with Maria. Maria was talking, providing information, cooperating. A little bit of Alice's unease was worth it.

"In the middle of battle, as if there were no risk at all, he and two of his men…" she smiled brilliantly and Alice fought back a shudder, "well, I won't get too gory. I'll just say that they split me like a plank of wood and then stood there and stared at the arm they had restrained. Just," Maria tightened her grip on Alice's wrist, "stared into it. Have you ever stared inside of yourself? Seen what it looks like when your flesh is split in two?"

Alice knew Maria was going to wait for a reply. "No," she spoke, her voice flat.

"You don't even feel the pain at first. You're too captivated by the purple-and-grey rot of your insides." Maria started trailing her fingers back up Alice's arm again. This time, Alice shivered involuntarily. Maria's smirk fell. "Instead of killing me, or ripping off the limb, all he did was lean forward and—"

"All right," Jasper was suddenly standing beside them. His hand grasped Alice's shoulder, and Alice could see that he was two seconds from yanking her away from Maria. "You don't have to demonstrate."

Maria clicked her tongue again. "I'm describing torture, my darling. Do you think this is going to turn her on?" She cocked her head to the side, and did not release her grip on Alice's wrist. "I surely don't need to know about your current sex life, or the filth you two participate in."

Something in Jasper's expression made Maria roll her eyes at him. She looked back toward Alice, smirked again, and winked. She did not release her grip on Alice's arm until she'd slowly pulled the black sleeve back down.

"I've had plenty of men put their tongue on me over the years," she had the audacity to look back up to Jasper for a split second to wink at him, too, before fixing her eyes back on Alice's, "but this man taught me what happens," and then she gestured to her own, still visible scar, "when you introduce foreign venom directly into someone's system."

Maria then yanked her own sleeve back down and looked back toward Carlisle.

"I have to hand it to the lunatic—it was a form of torture that I hadn't even considered. Thanks to the Major here they didn't try to do the other arm or, I don't know, fuck my face or something." She put her feet back up on the coffee table. Alice watched as dirt crumbled off of the bottom of the soles.

Alice focused on Jasper's grip on her shoulder then and leaned toward him. There was calm in his grasp; provided by his presence and by his ability. Alice lifted her hand and grasped at his fingers.

Maria took one look at their clasped hands and rolled her eyes again. "Oh please, that was the most tame tale of Father Esteban I could possibly have shared with her." She was unamused. "What else have you kept to yourself? Do they know about Oscar's exploits? Do they know about Jeffe at least?" When Jasper did not react she waited, studying his expression carefully. After five seconds of silence, she became incensed. "No, Major. No. You better be fucking with me."

Maria looked toward Alice, and then Carlisle, and then Edward.

"Everybody better get back in this room right now before I start losing my patience." Maria's words were no louder than they'd been the entire time, but the entire house had heard. "Except for you all—you don't have 'permission' yet." She spoke, calling toward the garage. Alice could see that Peter would also stay and she was grateful for that. She did not want him to have to answer to Maria's rage, too.

The instant Bella emerged from the library she started speaking, "Stop me when you hear a name that your darling 'brother' has told you about. Not mentioned, not simply named, but told you about—"

"Maria—"

"Oscar." She paused, ignoring Jasper. "Tomas." Rosalie and Emmett drifted into the room and Maria fixed her attention on them. "Jeffe. Kabil."

"We don't expect for—"

"Oh, no no no," Maria stood then and pointed toward Carlisle angrily. "Don't you dare start that. I do not give a fuck about what you don't think you 'need to know'." Then she turned her finger back toward Jasper. "You are an irresponsible coward," her words were venomous, and Alice just knew that for some reason, this made Maria angrier than she'd been upon arrival. "You may as well have just told them all that they are better off dead than knowing about these men. Coward! Why have you not told them? Why have you not warned them!?"

Jasper did not reply. Alice's grip on his hand tightened. He did not grip hers back.

"It is not my job to tell them about these men," Maria spoke her words low, and Alice could've sworn the hairs on the back of her neck rose, just slightly, "it is not my job to tell them what will happen to them if Esteban gets a hold of them. Especially if he gets his hands on one of your dainty girls." She spat the word as she looked back down to Alice.

Then, Maria spoke directly to her. "All I will tell you about Father Esteban," and her words were almost soft. Alice felt sick at the sound. "Is that if you end up dead, it will be a luckier fate than being taken by him, alive."

Maria's eyes flickered upward and her anger resumed as if it hadn't been interrupted. "Was I not clear that I said 'everyone'? Why have…" Maria's eyes widened, and Alice almost swore out loud.

She had told Esme to keep the television in Ness' room on. Now, it was off—they'd probably turned it off when they heard Maria's first command—and everyone in the room could hear it loud and clear.

Renesmee's heartbeat.

Maria's expression was unreadable as she noted Ness' strange, rapid heartbeat. It would take most vampires seeing Renesmee to know that she was something 'other'. But Maria was not most vampires. "What," as she lowered her gaze from the ceiling toward Carlisle, "is that?"

Carlisle sighed, "You may want to sit back down for this—"

"I will not."

"Carlisle," Edward's voice held a grave amount of warning. Alice could see, just by his posture alone, that he was on the verge of some sort of explosion.

Edward, Alice's mental voice was gentle, she's going to have to know. Alice was seized by panic when she realized that there was a lot that Maria was going to need to know, now.

Alice had never thought that Maria wasn't smart. But Alice never expected Maria to figure it out so quickly. Nor did she expect the words Maria prepared to say next.

"You're dead," Maria shook her head, eyes wide as she stared at each of the occupants of the room, dignifying each of them with a glance of her horrified, awful expression. "I had it wrong. This is not the reward for completing their errand. Christ, you are all dead!"

Maria started speaking before anyone else could reply to her declaration. "Three decades ago a coven who was guilty of negligent human interference challenged the Volturi in the largest display of strength seen for more than a millennia." The words were recited calmly. Alice did not need to be Jasper to know that right now, Maria was anything but. "Do not tell me that was you." Silence. Maria snapped her head back toward Jasper, and Alice witnessed the first and only flicker of fear show itself on her tan, beautiful face. "Do not tell me that was you!" Her words were twinged with horror.

"We came to an understanding," Carlisle started speaking again, "It's not what you're thinking. Things were settled calmly."

Maria's voice began reciting information once more, only this time her words were less detached. Instead, they were laced with fury. "Four months ago the Volturi came to Mexico with a handful of guard members to seek out a warlord to run an errand. They gifted this warlord a few members of their elite guard. They struck a deal. I thought you and I were part of the reward." She looked back to Jasper again, and Alice felt dizzy as her visions flooded her. She tilted slightly and her grip slipped from his hand as her arm flopped against her side. Jasper stepped closer as he adjusted his hold on her, steadying her body against his.

His thumb brushed against the skin on the back of her neck as he steadied her and Alice felt his powerful, crippling terror. Maria's next words sank Alice, full-force, back inside the whirl of her visions.

"You are the errand, Major. It was you."

A/N: It's Maria time, baby.