One-shots/Short Stories

Jasper Whitlock - Part II

The Memories - Part II
He looked everywhere for information on the two; at libraries, places, people. . .

He was having no such luck.

Jasper started to regret ever putting the three in hiding, because then historians couldn't write down what happened. So he had only one last plan, and that was going back to Texas.

***

"You all ready to go?" Esme asked everyone. "Carlisle just went to the hospital to tell them our absence."
   "I just told Charlie that we'll be gone for a while." Bella added.
   "I'm ready." they all said except Jasper. They turned to his worried face that was facing the ground.
   "Jasper?" Esme asked gently.
   "Hmm?" Jasper shook out of his thoughts. "I'm fine, don't worry. Just thinking."
   "Carlisle's here." Alice notified them. Carlisle finally reached them, hopping out of his car. He walked up to them with a nod.
   "We're all sorted." Carlisle told them. "Let's go." Jasper took in an intake of breath sharply. This was it. He was going to get his answers.

***

They arrived at Texas at night, making it easier for them to walk around. They booked into a hotel, Bella and Edward tucking Renesme into bed, Jacob having a similar idea to sleeping. Everyone decided that they would start looking for information the next day, but they have to be careful when going out since the place is sunny. Esme, Rosalie, and Alice were sorting out the clothes that would help them conceal the sparkles if the sun ever hit them.
   Jasper walked to the window in the room he was in, the moon full and bright and shining. He remembered a night like that when he was human; he and Lucy eloped and conceived Hope.
   "Hey." Edward appeared at his side. "We'll find answers, don't worry."
   "I know, it's just -" he sighed sadly, "I had them in hiding. Ever since Lucy became pregnant, she couldn't go out in fear of her parents spotting her. We had heard about our parents looking for us. Only I went out to get us food and the needs. It's going to be hard to find them if they continued to go into hiding when I left for the army."
   "Don't worry, we'll find answers." Edward said again after a couple of minutes of silence.

***

They were walking around, when Jasper noticed the familiarity of the place. He stood in his spot making Alice, Carlisle, and Esme stop when they realised he wasn't with them. "Jasper?" Alice called to him. He paid no mind to it, looking around at his surroundings. He knew this place. . .
   "This is where I first met Lucy." Jasper mumbled. "The house can't be far." This time, Jasper led the way, using his human memories to lead him. It finally led them to the only forest in Houston. "The abandoned cottage is in there."
   Without hesitation, Jasper started walking into the forest. The other three hurried to catch up after him.
   While walking around, Jasper's human memories started resurfacing again. He must be close.
   Jasper noticed a roof in the distance, making hope well up inside him. He started using his speed to see what it was. He stopped a couple of metres from the cottage, his dead heart swelling with joy. It was the cottage he lived in, and it looked to be still in tact. The cottage was made of stone, the roof seemingly to have been repaired; new hay was on top of the roof. The gardens he'd see Lucy tend to were still blooming. The thing he noticed was the curtains drawn on the windows, making it look scary despite the flowers blooming happily around the house. Alice, Carlisle and Esme appeared at his side. "You ready for this?" Esme asked him uncertainly. "This place might be taken."
   "There's no heartbeat." Alice murmured. "But it's well taken care of."
   "Can you see anything?" Jasper asked her. She stared off into the distant.
   "No, nothing. I only see us inside the cottage looking around. After that. . .nothing."
   "Let's go then." Carlisle nodded. They walked into the house to find the door unlocked already. Staring at each other uneasily, they slowly entered the cottage with caution. It was just like Jasper expected; the living room to the right, a kitchen to the left. There was a hallway straight forward which led to the bedrooms and bathroom and a library. Jasper remembered the times Lucy would sit in the ever growing library, reading to their child.
   Jasper went to the bedroom that belonged to him and Lucy; Carlisle, Alice and Esme going their separate ways in the cottage. He entered the room and was surprised at how well taken and clean the room was. Jasper was confident that someone lived here, despite the fact that he smelt no human scent in the room - or anywhere in the cottage. The bed was on the right side of the room, in the middle. Beside the bed were nightstands, and on the left side of the room was the old closet he had created, except it was new and improved. Why was all his previous stuff still here and improved? He got the answer when he noticed a photo album on one of the nightstands. He opened it and was shocked at what he saw.
   Photos of Jasper and Lucy in the album, along with little Hope. There were even the self portraits Lucy had created. But that wasn't what baffled him the most; the fact that there were recent photos of Lucy and a young woman with red eyes from this century baffled him. He realised why the cottage was still in tact and improved; vampires lived here. Only now did he detect the vampire scents in the room.
   "Carlisle, Esme, Alice!" Jasper called, running out of the room. "Vampires live here, we're in their territory!"
   As soon as they all regrouped in the living room, the door was slammed open. Jasper felt his eyes widen in shock, taking a sharp inhale through his nose.
   "Lucy?"