A/N: Thank you for reading and reviewing:)

Another First Date

Leah called Jasper a minute later, but he didn't want to run the risk of Sam overhearing their conversation, so he shot her a quick text saying he needed a few minutes. Once he was a sufficient distance away, he called her back.

"How long was he there for?" she asked with no preamble. "I'm assuming it was Sam?"

"It was," he confirmed. "And not long, less than five minutes. I kept quiet because I wasn't entirely sure if you were ignoring him on purpose."

"I didn't hear him until just before I left. I figured it was better to let him think I was oblivious he was there. I don't need to go wolf before tomorrow afternoon so he'll be blindsided when the elders deal with him."

Jasper hesitated for a moment, not sure if he was overstepping. "I was thinking about asking to speak to the elders, or at least to your mom. I'll tell you now that I threatened him, and I warned him I wouldn't come after him first, but that I'd strike at the people he loves. I have no doubt he'll use that to try and get the council and the pack on his side, and I want them to hear from me what I felt from Sam - not just tonight, but from that very first day in the clearing when we met - and why I threatened him," he explained, then hesitated another moment. "And I know that I'm running the risk of creating animosity, but I want the elders to be real clear on the fact that if Sam hurts you in anger, he won't be safe regardless of what side of the line he's on. I won't just roll over and let him hurt you without any repercussions."

Leah took a minute to untangle her feelings about that. On one hand, she was capable of taking care of herself and didn't need a man to protect her, but on the other, both vamps and wolves had that more primal, animal aspect to them that sometimes overrode the human part of them. She and Jasper had done a lot of talking since they met and they'd spent some time discussing that. She knew that protecting their mates - even those that didn't need protecting - was practically embedded in vamp DNA, and Leah couldn't honestly say she was any different. If someone attacked Jasper, she'd want to retaliate just like he would.

She also knew that Jasper's history made him even more protective than perhaps the other Cullens were. It would be going against everything he'd learned in his century and a half on this earth to let an attack on his mate go unpunished.

The only thing she was slightly hesitant about was Jasper threatening Sam's loved ones. She honestly didn't have much room to talk though. It's what she'd done to Edward - threatened to make Bella's life miserable instead of his.

"Yeah, I get that," Leah answered after a minute of silence. She appreciated that he'd let her think it over without trying to argue his point. "Would you really go after Emily? I'm not sure there's anyone else Sam truly loves."

"Nah, I'd just go straight to killing him," Jasper chuckled. "But as you illustrated so well with Edward and Bella, sometimes a direct threat isn't what's most effective to keep someone in line. As a wolf, Sam probably feels pretty invincible, but Emily? Not so much."

Leah hummed in acknowledgment and then did some more thinking before answering. "The pack isn't meeting with the council until tomorrow at four, so how about I give my mom your number and she can call you in the morning? I have no problem with you talking to her, and she'll be able to give you a better idea of whether you should talk to the other elders yourself or have her talk to them on your behalf. The only thing I ask is that I'm there with you if you're going to speak to the other elders directly."

"Of course," Jasper immediately agreed. "This might mostly be about Sam's behavior, but it's obviously also about you, so I'd never ask you to let me handle it without you."

Leah smiled that he understood her. "Thanks."

"I think I'm the one who should be thanking you," he laughed. "It's your tribe, not mine, so I appreciate you not telling me to fuck off and stay out of it."

Leah shrugged even though he couldn't see her. "I'm yours just as much as you're mine. If the situation was reversed, I'd probably do exactly what you're doing."

"I'm yours, huh?" Jasper said with a mile-wide grin.

"Isn't that what you told me the day we met?" she laughed. "When we were talking about the terms mate and imprint, you said I could call you anything I wanted as long as I eventually called you mine."

"So I did," Jasper agreed. "And I'm not gonna lie, it feels just as good as I'd hoped."

Leah laughed but it was cut short by a huge yawn. "Alright, I need to get some sleep so I'm bright-eyed for when the elders finally rip into Sam. I plan on enjoying it way too much to risk ruining it by constantly yawning. I'll have my mom give you a ring tomorrow morning."

Jasper smiled and wished her goodnight and then tucked his phone away to run the rest of the way home.

Alice and Rosalie were sitting on the front porch steps with enough worry in them that Jasper looked at Alice in surprise as he sat on the ground by their feet. "Did you see all that?"

Alice shook her head with an annoyed scowl. She hated being blind, and she especially hated it when it had to do with Jasper's safety. Not that Sam Uley was a true threat to Jasper, but it still irritated her. "No, I only know what happened because I saw you talking to Carlisle about it," she explained.

"I don't understand what his problem is," Rosalie said with a frustrated sigh. "Sam broke up with Leah as soon as he imprinted on Emily. He told her straight out to let him go because there was no chance of him changing his mind. Why the hell is he so determined to get between you and Leah?"

Jasper took a minute to go through everything he'd ever felt from Sam. "I think some of it is a genuine belief that Leah isn't safe having a vamp as an imprint. He truly hates all vampires, not just our family. So there's that. But he also definitely feels possessive over her. He's not in love with her, and I'd argue that he doesn't even love her in a platonic way, because if he did, her happiness would be more important than his hostility to vamps."

"Like Paul," Alice pointed out. "Peter told us at the very beginning that Paul wasn't a fan of our kind, but he loves Leah enough that he wants her to be happy more than he wants to hold onto a grudge against us."

Jasper nodded. "Exactly. I'm honestly not all that sure why Sam feels like he has a claim on Leah. Like I said, he's not in love with her and they broke up a year ago. Maybe he's just that arrogant kind of asshole with a too-big ego who finds it hard to believe she's moving on from him."

"I'm getting awfully fucking tired of all the arrogant assholes with egos too big for their own good that we've had to deal with lately," Rosalie grumbled, turning to glare at the house, where Edward was once again confined to his room.

Jasper and Alice both laughed and agreed. "Did you get in trouble for temporarily relieving our arrogant asshole of a hand?" he asked Alice.

"Not really," she answered with a smile. "Carlisle and Esme reminded me that unnecessary violence wasn't acceptable but stopped short of telling me that that particular act of violence was unnecessary. It was only because of your bad ass warrior skills that he didn't get a hand on you, so really, Edward's the one who started it," she shrugged. "Besides, they know I'm slightly protective of you."

"Slightly?" Rosalie laughed, nudging Alice's shoulder with her own.

Alice just shrugged again and gave her a bright smile.

Jasper reached for her hand and let her feel his love and gratitude. Alice knew he didn't really need protecting, just like he knew she didn't need protecting, but that didn't mean either of them would ever stop defending each other. Jasper not-so-secretly loved the fact that his tiny little pixie, his non-romantic soulmate, truly was capable of protecting him if he needed it. She may not have been a warrior in the south, but the girl was fierce and deadly when she needed to be.

Carlisle walked outside and sat in the grass beside Jasper, and Esme and Emmett followed a moment later.

Jasper took a minute to explain that Sam had been spying on him and his mate with way more rage than Jasper was strictly comfortable with, then looked at Carlisle. "I already told Leah I'd like to talk to the elders and she's going to have Sue call me tomorrow. Leah thinks she'll be able to give me some guidance on whether I should speak to them myself or if her mom should speak to them on my behalf."

Carlisle nodded his understanding. "With how my conversations with Billy Black have gone, I'm inclined to think they'll be open to meeting with you. I don't think there's anything wrong with you making your feelings clear. Open and honest communication means fewer opportunities for mistakes and misunderstandings."

Emmett gave Jasper one of his dimpled grins. "And if you give them a chance to get to know you, they'll be more likely to have your back. Just turn on that Jasper-level charm and they'll be eating out of the palm of your hand."

Esme laughed while playfully glaring at Emmett, then turning that glare on Jasper. "No manipulating their emotions, young man."

All of the siblings laughed at that. "What do you know, it is more effective when you say 'young man' instead of calling him by his name," Rosalie laughed.

With nothing more to discuss until after Jasper spoke to Leah's mom the next morning, and the family's mood significantly lightened, they all trooped inside to pass the nighttime hours together.

Jasper and Sue arranged to meet at the diner in town to talk things through while they had their french fry date. When Jasper walked in the door just before noon, Sue was already waiting for him. The diner wasn't too crowded but there were still plenty of full tables, and he smiled to himself when he felt surprise from all sides as he sat down across from her. None of the Cullens had ever been in the diner in all their time in Forks.

Sue greeted him with a warm smile. "Good morning," she said, then glanced at the clock on the wall and nodded. "It's still technically morning, which is good because I haven't had breakfast yet. I thought we could save the heavy stuff for later and just chat for a bit while I eat."

"Sounds good to me," Jasper nodded. He looked over the menu and when the waitress came to their table, Jasper asked for an order of fries and a cup of coffee. When Sue looked at him curiously once the waitress left, he shrugged and laughed a little. "I didn't want you to be the only one with food in front of you. I get the impression from Bella that she always feels a little awkward about that with Edward. And coffee may taste awful, but it smells great."

"And the fries?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"If they're as good as you all say, I thought you might like to pick off my plate," he laughed.

Sue nodded with a smile. "Very considerate of you."

The booth they were sitting in was tucked in the back corner, so if they kept their voices low they could speak openly without the fear of being overheard. Which was a good thing considering the way Sue started the conversation.

"So. You were born in the 1800s?"

"Yes, 1844," Jasper answered, and Sue asked what the world was like for him back then. "I don't remember a whole lot, to be honest. When we're changed a lot of our memories are burned away, and we tend to lose more as the years pass. The extent of that varies from person to person, and the circumstances of our change and our early years in this life have an impact on that. My sister Rosalie, for example, remembers a great deal, while my other family, Peter and Charlotte, remember almost nothing. Our start to this life was pretty brutal and survival was more important than trying to remember who we'd once been," he explained. "Mostly I remember people, rather than details about day to day life."

Sue nodded a little sadly. Leah hadn't gone into great detail about Jasper's past, but she had shared some things about the first part of his second life. "Where were you born? You've got a hint of a southern accent and I know you spent some time in the south," she said. "You don't have to tell me about that, by the way," she quickly added. "I don't know much, but I know enough that I'd never expect you to share details you'd rather not delve into."

"I appreciate that," Jasper smiled. "I'm honestly not bothered talking about it anymore. I left that life a very long time ago, and I've come to accept that the things I gained are worth far more than anything I suffered or lost."

Sue cut in there. She did want to know about his human life but she was also interested in what positives he'd found in his early years as a vampire. From what Leah told her, it was pretty grim. "What did you gain?"

Jasper smiled at her curiosity. "First, skill. You don't survive almost eight decades in a war zone just by being lucky. I'm definitely not the best fighter out there, but I'm good enough that I can protect the people I love," he told her honestly. "But more importantly, it was my time in the south that led me to have two of the greatest friends I could ever ask for."

"Peter and Charlotte?" she asked. "If I remember correctly, Peter's the one who called and warned you about Victoria?"

Jasper nodded. "Yes. Peter was the very first friend I made in this life. The first person I trusted, the first person I loved. Charlotte is Peter's mate and she's ultimately the reason Peter and I eventually escaped the south. I consider them my brother and sister, and there's not a thing I wouldn't do for them. They like to say I saved them, but I think we saved each other," he said with a little shrug.

Sue smiled, pleased that Jasper had found love and friendship in the midst of all that ugliness. "Can I ask how Charlotte is the reason you escaped that life?" she asked hesitantly. "Feel free to say no. I'll never be upset or offended if there's anything you don't want to share with me."

Jasper thanked her for her consideration but reassured her again that he didn't mind talking about it. "I probably won't go into the specifics of day to day life, no one needs to hear those details, but other than that, I have no problem being honest with you. And Leah already knows my whole history, so you're welcome to ask her about it also."

Jasper explained a little about newborns and that Maria had no use for them once their initial strength began waning. "When Charlotte's name was on the list of vamps Maria expected me to destroy, I helped her and Peter escape instead. Five years later, they came back for me and told me that our sire had lied to us about the world and that a peaceful existence was possible for us. I left with them that night."

Sue asked about the years between leaving the south and joining the Cullens, so Jasper told her about his time as a nomad with Peter and Charlotte, and a little about how his gift made feeding a pretty miserable experience. She laughed when he told her about escaping the rain and being greeted by a tiny little pixie who told him about an alternative diet.

"Alice was the third blessing I was graced with in this life," Jasper laughed. "If it wasn't for my gift and Peter's, I would've thought she was completely crazy and turned right back around. But I've never disregarded Peter's guidance, so I listened to what she had to say. It was one of the best decisions I've ever made."

Leah had told her about Jasper's close friendship with Alice but Sue hadn't known how they met. Given his past, it was surprising to her that Jasper had trusted Alice, but she supposed being able to feel her emotions gave him some insight into her intentions.

The waitress came over with their food then and they sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes as Sue happily dug into what she called her brunch. Jasper was curious enough to try a french fry and Sue burst into laughter at the expression on his face as he forced himself to swallow it.

"Not the worst thing I've ever tasted," he laughed with a shrug. "Not the best, but definitely not the worst."

"How was that pizza at Charlie's?" Sue asked, remembering that he and Alice had brought dinner when they'd watched the Mariners game with him.

Jasper could've sworn his stomach actually flipped at the memory. "Awful," he admitted with a smile. "French fries definitely beat pizza."

"That was a kind thing you did for him that day," Sue said. "I know how much he enjoyed it."

"He's a nice man, and Leah cares for him a great deal, so it was worth the slight discomfort of eating human food," he answered with another little shrug. "Can I turn the tables now? I'd love to hear anything about your life you feel comfortable sharing."

Sue talked less about her early years and more about meeting Harry and the life they built together. "Becoming a parent for the first time was the scariest thing I'd ever gone through," she admitted. "When they handed tiny little Leah to me, I was so filled with panic that I'd make mistakes that I burst into tears," she laughed. "The nurse just nodded her understanding without me even having to explain and reassured me that it was normal to be scared. She told me that I wouldn't do everything perfectly, but to just love Leah with my whole heart and follow my instincts."

"Was Harry scared too?" Jasper asked curiously.

"God no, he was too over the moon to be scared," Sue laughed. "I swear the man's feet didn't touch the ground for a solid year with how thrilled he was by the whole thing. He used to carry Leah around the village every day just to show her off to anyone and everyone."

Jasper smiled at the mental image of the proud daddy parading his little girl around. "What was she like?" he asked, grateful to be able to learn about his mate from her mom.

"She was such a happy baby, a happy girl," Sue said with a smile slightly tinged with sadness. "She always preferred being outdoors, so sometimes it was a chore to get her inside, but for the most part, she made being a mom easy. Not because I was a great mother or anything, but because she was such an easy child. When I got pregnant with Seth, I was worried she'd see him as an intruder who took up mine and Harry's time. But she was just excited to be a big sister and the two of them were joined at the hip from day one. She took a page out of her dad's book and she used to put Seth in his stroller and ask me to walk around with her so she could show him off," she laughed.

"And she was that happy all through her childhood?" Jasper asked with a smile.

Sue nodded. "She was. She had the normal teen-girl mood swings around seventh and eighth grade but we were expecting that," she shrugged. "And once she met Sam and started dating him, her moods leveled out and she was back to being our happy girl again."

Feeling Sue's sadness, Jasper stayed quiet, not wanting her to feel she had to talk about the changes that came in the following years, but he did reach over to take her hand to offer her some support.

"You know how that turned out, of course," Sue said quietly after gently squeezing his hand in thanks. "The whole thing was a mess. We knew what was happening, knew Sam was a protector, knew about Emily, but we were bound to secrecy by the elders that came before us and our tribal traditions. It was an awful time. And then when Leah's sadness and despondency turned into anger and rage, we thought it was just a natural reaction to what was happening right in front of her with Sam and Emily. We had no idea it was possible for Leah to become a wolf, so we just assumed it was everything else that made her mood so volatile. I failed her, Jasper," Sue whispered with tears in her eyes. "Harry and I both failed her and now he's gone and Leah thinks it's her fault."

Jasper honestly didn't know what to say to that. He took a moment before deciding to just be honest with her. "I know my opinion doesn't mean much in this situation, but I've been around a long time and I've learned a thing or two over the years," he said with a small smile. "I don't believe you and Harry failed Leah. Given the tribe's belief about the shapeshifting gene, it's not a surprise that you misinterpreted her anger. We can only do the best we can with the knowledge we have. When our knowledge changes, we have a chance to do better. For so long, I believed that war was all there was. When I learned there was more out there, I was able to change and live a different life, a better life. It's the same for you and Harry - you didn't know it was possible for your daughter to be a protector. And Harry may not be around to support her now, but you are. You're a steady, solid support for Leah and she knows she can lean on you when she needs to. She doesn't blame you for not understanding what was happening to her, she's simply grateful that you stand behind her now."

Sue took a deep, slightly shaky breath. She knew Jasper was right, Leah had said the same thing to her more times than she could count. But just like Leah had a hard time believing that her dad dying wasn't her fault, Sue had a hard time believing she hadn't let her daughter down in the very worst way.

"I know Leah hasn't told you about the day Harry died, it's obviously not something she likes to talk about, but she gave me permission this morning to share with you what happened," she said, smiling a little at the surprise on Jasper's face. "Knowing my daughter like I do, she wants you to know, she doesn't want to keep any secrets from you, but she doesn't want to talk about it herself. I'm more accepting of what happened that day, I know none of us are to blame, so it's easier for me to discuss it," she said with a small shrug and a sad smile.

Jasper gave her hand another gentle squeeze. "I already have a pretty good idea, just from the little she's shared with me. Did she explain about the pull my kind feel towards their mates?" he asked, and Sue nodded. "I know the day I started feeling the pull was the day Harry died. By the strength of the pull, I knew there was another supernatural being at the other end of the bond. When I realized my mate was on the other side of the treaty line, I knew it was likely that I started feeling that tugging on my heart the moment my other half joined the world of mythical creatures," he explained. "Bella told Alice your husband died of a heart attack, so I have a fair idea what happened that day."

Sue nodded. "What Leah has a hard time internalizing is that Harry's heart attack wasn't exactly a bolt from the blue. He wasn't the healthiest of men and he had heart disease that had gone untreated for too long a time. But it was an undeniably traumatic day for all of us," she admitted. "I may not agree with her, but it's not hard to see why Leah feels the way she does."

Before Jasper could respond, he felt slightly familiar emotions approaching and looked up to see Charlie Swan walking towards them. When he came to a stop beside their booth, his emotions quickly turned from surprise and pleasure to concern. Jasper's hand was still covering Sue's in support and her sadness was clear on her face.

"You okay?" Charlie asked quietly, putting his hand on Sue's shoulder.

Sue smiled and stood up to give him a hug hello. "Yes, just talking about Harry," she explained. "How are you? Would you like to join us? You've met Jasper, right?" she asked as she sat back down and scooted over so there was room for him to sit beside her.

Charlie smiled at Jasper as he sat down. "I have. It's good to see you again. Leah called this morning to see if I had any plans for the game tonight. Said if she was free in time, she might show up uninvited to take up space on my couch," he laughed.

"I knew she was hoping to be able to come by," Jasper said with a smile. "She thinks the two of you cheering together gives the Mariners a better shot."

"You're welcome to join us," Charlie offered. The hesitancy in his emotions made Jasper a little bit sad. He was too used to being turned down.

"If you're sure, I'd love to," Jasper accepted. "But I'll warn you now that if Alice hears you've invited me over she'll glue herself to my side until I get an invite for her too," he laughed.

"She's always welcome," Charlie chuckled.

Charlie put in an order to go, as he had to get back to the station, but the three of them sat and chatted while they waited for his food. Seeing Charlie eyeing the fries on his plate, Jasper smiled and pushed it towards him, telling him to help himself.

Sue smiled as she watched the two men talking so easily. She'd been friends with Charlie for a very long time and it had been hard watching him being hurt over Bella's apparent disregard of him. She was glad Jasper was taking the time to get to know him.

The waitress came over and set two styrofoam containers on the table. "I may have added a little something sweet on the house to enjoy while you're working hard to keep the town safe," she said with a smile before setting the check down.

Charlie laughed as he paid his bill. "Thanks, Cora."

After saying goodbye and telling Jasper he hoped he'd see them later, Charlie left to go back to work. Sue figured she deserved something sweet too, so she ordered a berry cobbler to enjoy while she and Jasper started talking about more recent events.

Jasper was open and honest with her about everything. He didn't hesitate to tell Sue he'd threatened Sam, or what the nature of the threat was. Sue couldn't honestly say she was thrilled by that, but she also knew it was similar to what Leah had done with Edward. Leah may not have threatened Bella with physical violence, but she used information she knew would hurt Bella as the motivation to get Edward to watch his behavior, and warned him that she wouldn't hesitate to do it again if he continued to lash out at her or the other wolves.

"Sam's emotions from the moment Leah and I met have been extremely troubling," Jasper said. "I'm not all that worried about myself or my family, but he has more ways of striking out at Leah than just a physical attack. If he harms her in anger, it's a breach of the treaty and I'm not sure Sam's stupid enough to do that. But he's got enough rage inside him that it makes me extremely uneasy. I know Leah's not defenseless, I know she doesn't need me to protect her, but mates are everything in my world. Leah's safety and happiness are more important to me than my own."

Sue nodded her understanding. She knew enough about imprinting to know it was the same for the wolves. She mulled everything over for a minute or two as she ate the last few bites of her dessert. When she set her spoon down, she looked at the vampire sitting across from her.

"We're meeting with the whole pack at four. I think there are some things that are strictly for the tribe to deal with, but what if we set up a second meeting? Maybe just with you and the other elders to begin with, and then the elders, the wolves, and you and your family. It'll have to be on neutral ground, but I think there's some value in all of us meeting face to face. In the first instance, it will give Billy and Old Quil a chance to meet you and ask questions to get some clarity on our current situation. I'm not naive enough to think a meeting between the pack and your family will be an entirely comfortable experience, but having an open dialogue is probably the first hurdle we need to clear."

"That works for me," Jasper nodded. "I'm happy to answer any questions they have. The only topics that are off the table are the personal stories of my family members. Ages, years they were changed, and certain other information is fine, but no personal details. My willingness to be open with all of you doesn't mean they lose their right to privacy."

"That's perfectly understandable," Sue answered with a smile. "Do you think they'll be open to a meeting?"

Jasper thought it over for a moment before nodding. "For the most part, yes. Carlisle, Esme, Alice, and Emmett will probably jump at the offer," he laughed. "Rosalie will be hesitant but she'll agree for my sake. I'm not sure about Edward. To be honest, it might be a good thing if he chooses to stay out of it. His hostility is about on par with Sam and Jacob's."

Sue looked at the clock and was surprised it was already three. "Should we try for tomorrow afternoon? I'd offer this evening, but I'd hate to be the reason Charlie has to watch the game on his own and I can't be sure how long the meeting with the pack will take."

Jasper nodded again as he pulled out his wallet. "That's fine. Carlisle has tomorrow off, see we're all free once Alice and Edward are done with school."

After a minute of good-natured arguing over who got to pay the bill, Sue gave in with only a little bit of grumbling before laughing and saying it just meant they'd have to go on another 'date' where she picked up the tab. Jasper happily agreed and walked her out to her car.

Sue didn't hesitate to hug him goodbye, then she took his hands in hers. "I had a lovely time, even if some of the conversation was a little heavy. And if you were genuine in your interest earlier, I've got Harry's fishing rod that you can make use of to go out with Charlie."

"Really?" Jasper asked in surprise.

Sue nodded. "Absolutely. Much better for it to get some use instead of just gathering dust in the garage. Leah has her own rod and I doubt Seth will ever be a morning person," she explained with a laugh.

Jasper felt gratitude well up inside him at Sue's easy acceptance of him, so he loosened the reins on his control a bit and let her feel it.

She gave him a warm smile when she realized what she was feeling. "You're very welcome. And I owe you my gratitude as well. Thank you for making my girl smile again, Jasper."

As he watched his mate's mother drive away with one last wave, Jasper took a moment to give the universe his thanks. He wasn't sure what he believed about fate or destiny, it seemed to change from decade to decade, but it was undeniable that his life had unfolded in such a way that he was surrounded by love. And meeting his mate had led him to find another woman with the same warm, maternal love that lived inside Esme.

For all the times Jasper had believed himself to be cursed, he thought he was probably one of the luckiest men alive.