She held Jasper's hand as he drove them down south. His eyes were trained ahead, brows furrowed, and jaw set tight as he watched for danger. If all went to plan, the rest of the Cullens were leading James away from them. Time would tell if it worked.
In the backseat, Bella was leaning on Alice's shoulder. Her tears had dried up a few hours ago, though Hensley supposed the position itself was a bit of comfort. She wished it had been her leaning on Jasper's shoulder in the back. Jasper had been very stubborn about driving.
Hensley sighed, watching the world fly by. She wasn't worried about her family. Not really. It was six against two and Cooper, according to Jasper, was well trained. They would be fine.
She wasn't worried about them either. Jasper was with her and Bella. Hensley knew that Jasper would protect them both from anything that came their way. He was also well trained. Not to mention, they had had Alice. Alice could see any danger that lay ahead.
Well, almost any danger.
Though, to be fair to little vampire's abilities, she probably did see the stupid decision Bella made and that Hensley was unable to let the human do alone. That didn't mean Alice could stop them in time.
Hensley did feel bad about leaving Jasper. He would be worried sick and absolutely losing his mind. She had to do this though. If James had Bella's mom, someone had to save her. Arguably, that someone should not have been a human and a half vampire hybrid, but no one else would step up and do it. If Hensley had told Jasper, he would refuse to let them go and let Bella's mom perish. He would do it with good intentions, those being to keep Hensley and Bella safe, but that wasn't what Hensley wanted or knew could happen. She knew they could do it all. They could save Bella's mom AND stay safe.
Okay, so maybe Bella's mom didn't need saving. Hensley mentally kicked herself. She hadn't even thought this could be a trap. Home videos? She had never even heard of those.
"I'm so sorry." Bella whispered to her, effectively killing any prior desire Hensley had to give the girl some serious side eye. She couldn't blame Bella. Hensley should've been smarter. She should've known and thought of every possible outcome before she acted. James took major advantage of their lack of time and that ruined Hensley. No, love ruined Hensley. Love made her stupid.
"Stay behind me." Hensley warned the human, holding her arm out to put a physical barrier around Bella.
"How cute." James taunted, "The little humans protecting one another. You hang around our kind. Surely you know running is pointless."
Hensley smirked at James, narrowing her eyes. She'd show him what a little human she was.
"Let's make this more interesting, since I know our tussle won't be. Let's make a video of our time together, hmm?" James flipped a piece of the video camera out. "I bet your little vampires will love watching this."
Hensley could guarantee Jasper would not enjoy watching that. A small ripple of pain traveled up her chest as she thought of the agony Jasper would be in. She couldn't let that pain in. She had to focus. Love had already blinded her once and if she wanted to get her and Bella out alive, she couldn't let it blind her twice.
"I bet they will too." Hensley told him, trying to emulate Jasper's crooked smirk, "I bet they'll love watching us ripping you apart and burning the pieces."
James let out a slow chuckle, holding the camera up better to get Hensley's face, "Jasper, was it? I bet you learned that from him. He looks like a menace. How many people has he killed, hm? I'm surprised you don't shudder in fear every time you look at him. Though maybe you can't see them. All those scars on him. Vampire flesh is usually smooth, but his is so marred and destroyed. Makes a vampire nervous. I can't imagine what it does to you.
"Is that why you're with him?" James took a couple steps closer, "You're afraid of him? Can't leave? Come on, you can tell me. You're safe here." He whispered, trying to look innocent in all this.
Hensley scoffed, the fire burning heavy in her chest. He knew nothing about Jasper. He knew nothing of the man Jasper was; the sweet southern gentleman that called her 'Darlin' and held her like she was so gentle and looked at her like she was the most important thing in the world.
She took one step forward before she remembered herself and tried to douse the flames. Jasper would need to hold her or be present to completely calm her down, though she did a decent job on her own. Still, she had to spit, "Even on his worst day, Jasper is 10 times the man you'll ever be."
"I have no doubts you think that, Darlin'." He was mocking Jasper, a mediocre impression of a southern accent leaving his lips.
Hensley's blood quickly reboiled. She took deep breaths to try and calm her shaking limbs before she did something stupid. Hensley knew she only got one hit; she got one chance to get a good strike in before James figured out that she wasn't the 'weak human' he thought she was. She had to time it right and make it count.
"Come on, Darlin'-"
Never mind. Hensley threw all her force into James. He was caught off guard, which worked in her favor, sending him flying backwards across the studio. She turned to Bella, "Go!"
Thankfully the girl listened and took off running towards the exit. James looked between the pair, deciding to follow Bella, after likely guessing that she'd be the easier target. Hensley ran after her in an attempt to get between them. She lunged, grabbing ahold of James's jacket and yanking him to the ground with her. Despite her best efforts, he was stronger than her and was able to get on top of her, pinning her down. Shifting her arms so he could hold both with one hand, he put the camera back in her face, "Well, well, Jasper. You certainly have one surprising girl on your hands. I can see why you're so stern. Gotta keep this little firecracker in line."
There was an easier way to disable him, but Hensley liked to keep one trick up her sleeve. Instead, she wiggled one of her legs free, knocking the back of his knee so it gave out under him. Using his instability to her advantage, she threw her weight sideways to push him off of her. She scrambled to her feet, running to Bella, who hadn't made it to the exit. Hensley mentally groaned. What the hell was this girl's problem?
James side-checked Hensley, sending her flying into the glass mirror beside her. Thankfully her skin was not so easily broken and there was no blood. Hensley watched in horror as he went for Bella, grabbing the back of her head and throwing her into another standing mirror. Bella's skin was easily broken, blood everywhere. Shit. That was not going to be good.
Hensley tried to get there before it happened. She tried to stop James from hurting Bella. She wasn't fast enough.
Without a second thought, she shoved James off of the human girl. It was then that she hoped she hadn't damaged Bella further, cringing at the thought of hurting the girl. Edward was there in the next moment, looking between James and Bella. Hensley wanted to tell him to go for Bella, get her out of there…but was that safe? Bella was Edward's singer…whatever the hell that meant. What if he killed her instead?
"Edward! Go get Bella. You won't hurt her." Hensley tried pleading with him, hoping he could find strength and remember he loved Bella.
He nodded once, moving to grab the human girl. Hensley was busy making sure Edward didn't bite Bella, and barely had time to brace for James's hit. He knocked her backwards, both of them sliding into a glass pillar. Hensley groaned from the dull pain at the top of her head. Trembling hands found his shoulders, desperately trying to keep him from her.
James forced her left arm from his shoulder, staying steady above her as if he had been holding himself up and she did absolutely nothing to him. A sinking feeling filled her stomach, head spinning from the fear or being tossed around or something.
"You're human. I can hear your heartbeat. An odd human, but human, nonetheless. I wonder how Jasper would feel about me taking the first bite?" James hissed, making a show of pulling Hensley's wrist in to smell her blood. He opened his mouth, tongue running over his teeth; a threat. One he intended to make good on.
"No!" She screamed, thrashing against him to try and stop him. He growled at her, sitting up straight on her hips to take her arm with both hands in order to keep it steady. Though she fought against it, he pulled her flesh up to his awaiting mouth. Hensley readied. She could get out of this she just had to-
A deep growl echoed throughout the building and then James was gone. In Hensley's sight, the bright blond had been replaced by one more honey colored.
Jasper was crouched low, baring his teeth at James, who was on the opposite side of the studio. Jasper's expression was lethal, eyes darkened deeper than Hensley had ever seen them, body completely rigid. If she hadn't known him, she would've been certain he could kill her with a single glance.
James must've thought so too; smug expression replaced with wide eyes twitching in terror. It took Hensley a split second to realize Jasper was most likely using his gift to enhance the atmosphere.
She stood up slowly, so as not to distract Jasper or set him off in a different way. Her arms were kept away from her body, trying to appear as nonthreatening to her mate as she could. It wasn't very successful. Jasper's eyes were on her as soon as she got to her feet. He glanced back at James, growling a sharp, "Mine!" before shoving Hensley up against the broken pillar.
She gasped, the sound barely leaving her lips before Jasper's own were on them. Hensley immediately melted. All the fear, the pain in her head, the shaking of her limbs…it all washed away. The events of the evening, Bella, James, the rest of her family was all forgotten. Her brain became a puddle of mush, unable to be filled with anything other than the knowledge that Jasper Hale was kissing her. It was almost cruel the power he had over her in that moment.
"I am so god-damn mad at you." He grumbled at her, pulling back just long enough to get the words out before attacking her lips again.
She didn't even care. Jasper could be mad at her the rest of her life if it meant he kept kissing her like that.
"Jasper!" Edward shouted, pulling them both from their trance.
"What?!" Jasper was quick to snap at his brother, barely turning to spare Edward a glance.
Hensley saw it first, James, no longer overpowered by Jasper's gift, had gotten the best of Edward seeing as the Cullen was nowhere in sight. James leaned over Bella, the girl heavily bleeding. He teased her arm like he had teased Hensley's. But unlike Hensley, Bella couldn't get out of it.
"No!" Hensley tried to push past Jasper, but he held her firm, not wanting her anywhere near James.
"Start the fire." He ground out, pushing her back. Then more firmly when she wasn't listening, "Alexandria, start the fire!"
With one final push backwards he released her, flying to Bella's aid. Edward came in from the side. Both weren't fast enough. Bella screamed.
That was all the kick Hensley needed. She broke the weak boards beneath her feet, gathering them to start a pile on the edge of the studio. Emmett was with her in the next moment, breaking the board down to kindling with matches in hand.
"Let me do it. I'm less flammable." She took the book of them easily from Emmett's hands. Alice got the materials ready, standing back once she was finished. She nodded at Hensley, who struck the match and threw it. The studio instantly caught fire. Jasper and Cooper had James by the arms, dragging him over. Alice climbed on top, breaking off James's neck while Cooper and Jasper ripped the man's arms off at the same time.
Emmett stepped in for Alice then, the three males breaking James down into small pieces, each one thrown into the roaring fire. Hensley alternated between watching the flames and Bella, especially as the girls cried diminished.
Not long after Edward and Carlisle took Bella to the hospital, Jasper nudged Hensley's arm. They needed to go too.
~.~
Jasper and Edward had watched the video. Hensley knew, because the pain burning in her chest was nearly impossible to stand for a long while. When Jasper returned to her, only his touch could wipe away the ache. Thankfully, without being asked, Jasper held her close to his chest, cradling her from the outside world. He needed her just as much as she had needed him.
After being reassured that Bella was fine, Jasper and Hensley drove the car back up to Forks. Due to Bella's injuries and the hospital stay, it would be easier and quicker for Edward and Bella to fly home.
The silence between her and Jasper as they went was deafening. A low ache had settled into Hensley's chest the moment they left the ballet studio, no doubt from Jasper's earlier words.
She had deserved them. She knew she did. She had ignored him and deceived him and made him worry about her while she did incredibly stupid stuff. But it was for a good reason…or so it had seemed.
"I'm sorry." Her quiet voice broke the silence when Jasper got them out of town. They had to talk about this. It would be a long ride otherwise.
Jasper didn't look at her. Didn't even glance her direction, actually. "What the hell were you thinking?"
"We had to save Bella's mom." She alternated between looking at the side of his face and the road.
"What would've happened-" He stopped himself, closing his eyes for far longer than what would've normally been safe for driving. A sharp, stabbing pain seared through Hensley's chest and she grimaced at the unexpected feeling. Jasper took a couple deep breaths, actual breaths before opening his darkened eyes once again, extinguishing the ache as he did so. When it had dissipated, Hensley felt like she could breathe again too. "If I hadn't been fast enough…."
"I know. I'm sorry. I thought I could handle him and keep them both safe but-"
"These aren't humans, Alexandria. These are vampires. They're different, they're-" Jasper paused. With how tightly he was gripping the steering wheel, Hensley was worried about Carlisle's car. "I'm sorry. I know you know this. I know you had good intentions, but…I almost lost you."
Hensley just nodded. She didn't know what else to say. The low ache returned, getting stronger as the seconds ticked by.
"I'm sorry." Jasper whispered, as though he had to apologize. Hensley shook her head.
He took another breath, slowly releasing his grip on the wheel to hold her hand. As soon as he did so, the tightness in her chest released. He squeezed her slightly, just enough for her to know he had done so. "Can you make me a promise?"
Hensley quirked her chin up, waiting for him to continue before she made any promises. Some things she could easily say yes to. Others were a bit harder.
"If something like this happens again, and I will promise you that I will try my damndest to prevent it, but if it does, promise me you won't go off by yourself. Promise me that you will talk to me, and we will work out a plan together."
"Only if you promise to seriously consider my ideas and what I would like to do."
Jasper's eyebrows twitched as he contemplated her words. At first, she thought he was having second thoughts about this promise. It would make sense. He didn't want her to go off after James. If he agreed to the promise then they would've had to come up with a solution, one that likely involved Hensley in danger.
She was thrown off when he said, "Have I done something to make you think that?" Had his voice been harder, firmer, and full of authority, she would've bristled. But his voice was soft, small, and…hurt. He was curious.
Hensley thought. No, he hadn't. When the nomads went through town, they had compromised. He hadn't forced her to stay at his house like he wanted her to, initially. She had also called Kaufmann, looking for a way to keep her out of trouble at the agency. He likely would've compromised then as well, if Kaufmann hadn't been able to pull a few strings. Maybe she was jumping the gun. Maybe she was placing something on him that wasn't actually his.
"I'm sorry." She apologized, giving his hand a squeeze back. "No, you haven't. I…I guess I'm just used to people telling me what to do without giving me space to suggest alternatives or compromise. But we did compromise with the nomads in town.
"Compromise is rare in our other lives." He nodded.
When Hensley had heard about Jasper's past, no part of her wished him to go through that. She wished he could've avoided it all; been changed at Carlisle's peaceful hand instead. He didn't deserve it. Didn't deserve the pain, the suffering, the constant worry, fighting every day to survive…. He didn't deserve it.
She would be lying if she said that it wasn't nice to have someone understand her though. They went through the same things, lived the same life. And sometimes, it was nice to have someone who knew the same pain, no matter how much you wished they didn't.