Stained Glass Windows || Jasper Hale

Six

Jem was groggy from the second flight he had taken in the last two days. He was stiff and sore and exhausted, unable to sleep on a plane as soundly as San could. Maybe that was also a gift, to sleep so deeply on transport even with the supernatural hearing and smell? Either way, he was less happy about carrying his brother from the plane a second time, though he barely weighed anything due to their enhanced strength. They weren't as strong as full vampires but they were still much stronger than humans. San was a familiar slumbering weight on his back and for a second, he recalled all those nights walking in the cold night with his baby brother strapped to his back. San probably got his sleeping skills from growing up sleeping on Jem's back while they travelled. Night travel having been easier to move about undetected, especially in those first few years of his brother's life.

It was grey and cloudy outside the airport. It smelt of oncoming rain and Earth. Jem inhaled deeply, ignoring the fumes of cars and people, focusing on the open hints of nature. While living in a city meant that he and San were harder to find, he did sometimes miss the open land of nature. He distantly wondered if it would snow any time soon, as he could smell the left over drifts of a previous snowfall. He loved the snow. On his back, San yawned. Awake, but not making any desire to move. San didn't like the cold as much as Jem, preferring to bundle himself up like a cushion. So it wasn't a surprise when he instead clung tighter to Jem's back, like a little koala.

"Carlisle said that someone should pick us up", Annabelle announced as she looked up from her texts. She had managed to attack their shooing bags to the handle of her little suitcase and had their two duffles slung over her other arm. "A lot of the witnesses they called are there already. Apparently we're the last to arrive to the party".

"Yay", Jem muttered, not happy at the idea. He was tired and would much rather be in his bed at home than in America, regardless of pretty snow filled forests. He didn't trust most vampires other than Annabelle and the prospect of going to a place full of them was not welcoming.

"Don't worry Hyung", San sighed tiredly. "I'll let you know if any of them mean us harm. You can deal with them then". Jem hummed as he watched the people around them. The airport busy with departures and arrivals.

"Over there". Annabelle pointed to a silver Volvo that was just pulling up at the curb a few feet away. She began striding towards it as Jem yawned. "I assume you must be Edward", she smiled as she pulled open the car door. The boy inside couldn't have been much older than seventeen or eighteen, if he was human of course. He had the customary pale skin an dark bronze hair that stuck up in hints of waves. Jem noticed sharp facial features and a carved jawline.

Edward got out of the car and walked smoothly around to greet them. "Edward Cullen. Pleasure. Carlisle has told me a lot about you". He shook Annabelle's hand and moved to take their bags. He was tall, taller than Jem by almost a head as he opened the boot.

"I can say the same. May I introduce my old friends?" Annabelle waved a hand at the two of them and Edward fixed them with golden eyes.

"Yellow". San whispered into Jem's ear. The Korean word hushed. Yellow was a good sign. It meant that they weren't a danger to them, unless circumstances suddenly changed and they changed their minds. Most things were yellow. Either way, San would be warned. Edward was safe for now.

"I must thank you for coming", Edward smiled at them, it seemed almost in relief. "My daughter was a surprise and we have so many questions. My wife and I were relieved to hear that Annabelle knew of others like her". Jem was surprised by the sheer honesty in the words. Edward must care for his family very much, he doubted that his father ever gave them a passing thought. Edward's face seemed to twitch slightly, dulling. "I forgot to mention. My gift is mind reading. I do not speak Korean though, so your minds are harder than most". Jem felt San tense and was glad for the warning.

"It's nice to meet you", he smiled politely, fingers tapping San's legs to get him to go down. San huffed but allowed Jem to drop him to his feet and then preceded to stand close at Jem's side to grip his sleeve. It was like a child on their first day of school and the thought made Jem's smile more real. "My name is Jem. This is my younger brother San. My apologies for the thickness of my accent, I haven't spoken English in a few decades".

He shook Edward's hand, feeling the slight temperature change. It wasn't too startling but it was still noticeable. They may not run as warm as humans, but they still had body heat compared to full vampires. "Hello", San nodded politely.

Edward smiled at the two of them before gesturing to the car. "You seem exhausted. Let's get you back to the house. There's a guest room each if you want". He headed back to the drivers door as Annabelle took shotgun. Jem and San slid into the backseats, the younger immediately beginning to doze off again. Under them, the car rumbled to life and pulled away from the airport.

"So the girl is your daughter?" Jem voiced. He was tired but to nervous to sleep. "What is her name?"

"Reneesme". Jem turned the name over in his mouth a few times, stumbling on the syllables. "But her nickname is Nessie", Edward added, taking pity on him. "My wife, Bella, dislikes it but the name is going to stick". He chuckled at some sort of memory.

"Nessie", Jem repeated. That was a bit easier to pronounce.

"How old is she?" Annabelle murmured.

"Almost four months. But she's physically around four or five".

"They grow like weeds at that age", Annabelle smiled, glancing back at the sleeping San.

"They do", Jem agreed. "She should slow down in the next month or so. Is she sleeping and eating well? San was quite fussy". He grinned fondly as he moved San's head to rest against his shoulder comfortably.

"She prefers human blood over food but my family have been trying. She likes fruit so far".

Annabelle spoke up with another question and Jem began to zone out. He hadn't slept on either of the flights and it was beginning to weigh on him. He rested his head on too of San's and closed his eyes, dozing in the warmth of the car and the humming of the engine.

Unedited

Jem and San are my babies. Weak hero and Vincenzo made me sob so much with Dong Yeon's and Ji Hoon's characters. They both served the world. So here is me giving it to them.