( media : Emma )
When Novalee walks into the living room after feeding Jackson and Americus, she finds Paul standing there - he has his hands on his hips as he raps his foot. The hothead is wearing an angry face as a little boy runs up to Jackson to play.
Paul eyes Novalee, seeing her dimming red eyes as Marcus stands at the doorway, Sam stops him from going too much further. Paul looks at Sam and Marcus, his scowl turns to confusion before he smiles, turning back to Novalee. The hothead crosses the room and he hugs Novalee.
"That's Paul," Sam says to Marcus. "He's the omega, and a hothead."
"Can I play my guitar on your porch?" Marcus asks, and Sam nods,
"They're in Forks," Jacob says as he runs in. "Esme and Carlisle, the others." He looks at Nova. "And Jasper."
Novalee steps outside amd she finds Leah gazing at Marcus.
"Son," Novalee speaks up, and the boy looks at her. "You ready to meet your dad?"
"They made it, huh?" Leah asks.
Novalee frowns. "Yeah."
"Good luck," Leah says before she goes inside.
Marcus puts his guitar on his back and he follows his mom to the hummer Sam's letting her borrow. Novalee drives to Forks and parks in the driveway behind a newer model Mercedes. She closes her eyes, scared.
"Mom, it'll be ok," Marcus assures her. "I'll be right by your side."
Nova opens her eyes and she spots Esme standing on the balcony, staring at the tinted windows. She looks at her son and sighs. Marcus gives his mom's knee a squeeze before getting out. Esme's eyes widen when she sees him, and she almost taints when Novalee gets out.
Before the pair even reach door, it's opened and Novalee is being clung to like a leach after swimming in the ocean during the summer time. When the person pulls away, Nova sees that it was Esme who hugged her.
"Is this him?" Esme whispers, and Nova nods. "Hi, sweetie. I'm Esme, your grandmother for all intents and purposes." Esme grabs their wrists amd drags them in. Novalee and Marcus snare amused looks as Esme continues to pull them. "Guys!"
Emmett comes down first. "Nova!" He yells and rushes over, he twirls her around as he gives her a huge bear hug, making Marcus laugh.
At the name, Alice flashes downstairs and she hugs the girl, too. Jasper walks downstairs, slowly, amd stops when he sees the boy. He hasn't looked at Novalee yet. Marcus's eyes widen. It was like looking in a mirror. When Carlisle comes jogging downstairs with Renesme, he stops when he spots Marcus and Jasper having a stare off.
"Novalee," Carlisle muses before hugging her. "Welcome back." He glances at the hybrid beside her. "Is he the reason you left?"
"Yes," Novalee replies, her voice makes jasper look at her. "He's my son."
Novalee can feel Jasper's mixed emotions: happy, upset, mad, sad, shocked, and concerned. Nova looks at him, she feels a pull, telling her mate. Jasper feels it too but he denies feeling it, because he is too upset.
"Jasper," Novalee says. "This's your son, Marcus Avon Morningstar. Marcus, this is your father, Jasper Whitlock Hale."
"Hi," Marcus greets shyly, his hands stuffed in his pockets, his guitar still strapped to his back.
Jasper is startled momentarily before he smiles a little, a motion that makes Nova tense. "Hello."
Emmett and Marcus both notice Jasper's eyes wander toward Novalee again.
"Marcus, let's go down stairs to the other living room," emmerttt suggests as everyone else leaves. "Give your parents a minute, you can play your uncle Emmett something on that guitar on your back."
Marcus leans into his mom's ear and whispers, "remember what I told you on the way here. Breathe. And if his love for you is gone, you're devastation isn't worth it."
"I know," Novalee says as she kisses his cheek, thankful for heels. "I love you, son."
Marcus kisses his mom's head and he walks downstairs with Emmett. Jasper walks a little closer, his emotions are all jumbled together. Novalee isn't sure which one overpowers the other but how jumbled they actually are.
Jasper teaches out and touches Novalee's face, but drawls his hand back as soon as he makes the connection. That's when Novalee feels the overpowering emotion. Hurt. That's when Jasper feels her hurt. Nova feels terrible for leaving when she was pregnant and waiting seven years to come back to Washington.
"Who turned you?" Jasper asks, those were the first words he could scrounger up at the moment, all other words lost.
"Aro," Novalee replies. "I became close to each of them, Marcus mainly."
"Hence our son's name," Jasper comments.
Our son, Novalee closes her eyes at the sound. Jasper actually gasps at the hurt emotion. He's surprised her, and he just now realizes how hypocritical he is. He had left her once, before they were in love, but he did.
"Nova..." Jasper touches her face, tilting his head to the side. "I am sorry... I am letting my own hurt cloud my mind. You're just as hurt, too." Jasper walks away and he leans against the counter, he gazes longingly at Novalee. "When did you get to Forks?"
"Yesterday," Novalee replies. "Marcus and I spent the night at Sam's."
Jasper nods quickly before he looks at his feet, sniffling. He never expected to see Novalee again, let alone his child. Marcus begins to play the guitar version of Photograph by Ed Sheeran, singing too.
"He's got your talent for singing," Jasper muses. "But got my ravishing looks."
Novalee rolls her eyes but she smiles. "Some things never change. You're so confident."
"Bet you can't outrace me, newborn," Jasper taunts.
"Nah, it's me she should worry about," Edward says as he walks in. "Wanna race, Nova?"
"Oh, yeah," Novalee says.
"You're in for a run for your money," Marcus says from downstairs. "She's faster that Aro."
Edward eyes Novalee before they go out back. Marcus follows, leaving his guitar inside as he joins Emmett's side as Leah appears. Marcus smiles and so does she. Leah joins Marcus's side as Alice comes out, and the race for the fastest in the coven begins.
