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"Who was it? Someone we know?" The worry on Carlisle's face made an uneasy feeling rise in Tristan's chest.
Edward has told the family that another vampire had been in Bella's room. It had taken one of he shirts, the vampires assuming it was planning on tracking her.
"This stranger," Edward shook his head. "I don't recognize his scent."
"A nomad passing through?" Esme questioned, trying to ease her son.
"A passerby wouldn't have left Bella's father alive," Rosalie told them stiffly.
"And they wouldn't have taken a sweater," Tom added.
Jasper and Emmett entered the room, the Hale glancing to Tristan as he spoke.
"The scent disappeared about five miles south of Bella's house." Jasper moved across the room to stand next to Tristan, lacing his hand with the brunet's.
"Someone's orchestrating this," Carlisle sighed.
"Victoria?" Bella guessed.
"She's smart. She would do that," Tristan shook his head. "She would know Thomas and Alice would see her. She's using someone."
"Has to be the Volturi," Edward told them.
"No," Thomas furrowed his eyebrows. "I don't think they're that bold."
"We've been watching Aro's decisions too," Alice added.
"So we keep looking." Emmett's tone was reassuring, trying to ease everyone in the room.
"We'll also take shifts guarding Bella at her house."
"Another protection detail?" Rosalie scoffed at Carlisle.
"Rosalie," Carlisle gave her a stern look.
"She's right," Tristan defended the blonde. "She wants to be turned anyways. If we did it now it would make all of these problems go away. We wouldn't have to watch over her like she's glass."
"You'd force that on someone else? You remember how you died, don't you?" Edward glared at his friend.
"This is not forcing," Tristan glared angrily. "It was your choice to wait, Edward. Not hers. Going against your choice would be better for everyone involved. Stop being selfish-"
"Enough," Thomas glared between the two. "We won't have enough time between tracking down the intruder, Victoria, and hunting. We need someone else." Tom and Bella shared a knowing glance, the girl nodding softly.
"No," Edward glared heatedly at Tommy.
"The wolves can watch over Bella. We won't have the time." Tom told the bronze haired boy, moving across the room with Alice by his side. "It isn't up for discussion Edward."
With one last glance Tom left the room, not leaving any more room for arguments.
"Come on, doll," Jasper pulled Tristan out of the room. The Taylor boy sharing a displeased glance with Rosalie as he left.
"Are you okay?" Alice asked Thomas, resting her hands on his shoulders.
"I feel sick," Tom replies stiffly. Wrinkles appearing on his face from how he had scrunched his eyebrows.
It was a face Alice saw on him far too often. He was overthinking, and analyzing all the ways things could go wrong.
"Hey," she smiled softly as she met his eyes. Leaning in slowly she kissed him, smiling as she did so. "Relax."
"That's getting harder and harder these days." Tom pouted as he rested a hand on her cheek.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Thomas let out another sigh, sitting down on his and Alice's bed. He pinched the bridge of his nose, taking a deep breath as he tried not to frown.
"Being around Bella is hard. Being around anything with a pulse is so exhausting. I'm afraid I might hurt someone."
Alice sighed at that, taking a seat beside him and running a hand through his hair.
"You need to trust yourself. You're not going to hurt anyone."
"But I could, you know. Tristan and I are a lot more unpredictable now that we don't have to worry about human things. Like, sleeping, getting tired, eating. It's like we're animals, and I'm sure we'll get used to it eventually, but we're still new at this." Thomas rested his head in his hands, trying to ease his nerves. "It's a lot harder for us."
"I know." Alice mumbled, pressing a kiss to Tommy's forehead. "We're almost done here, okay? And then you can have all the time you need to adjust. All right?"
And Tom merely nodded, his head falling into Alice's lap as she ran her hands through his hair. He closed his eyes, and found himself wishing that he could sleep.
"I thought you liked Bella now?" Jasper smiled teasingly, Tristan rolling his eyes.
"I don't like anyone," he quipped back.
"Not even me?" Jasper chuckled as he took Tristan's hands in his own.
Tristan hummed, raising an eyebrow as he leaned closer to Jasper.
"Maybe you can convince me."
And with another laugh Jasper leaned it, pressing his lips to the brunet's.
"Like me now?"
"No," Tristan laughed as Jasper pushed away from him. "Come on." He wrapped his arms around Jasper from behind, resting his head on the blond's shoulder. "You know I love you, Jasper Hale."
"Of course I do," Jasper smiled.
The two stood in the silence, holding onto each other with smiles. They had been going so fast for a while it was nice to slow down.
It reminded Tristan of when he had first kissed Jasper. All that time ago, before the changes, before everything they had gone through to bring them where they were now.
"I can't wait to spend forever with you," Tristan whispered.
Jasper smiled, turning to face the brunet.
"Marry me?"
"Right now?"
The blond laughed, shaking his head as he looked down at Tristan.
"It doesn't have to be any time soon." Jasper's voice was quiet as he leaned down, kissing Tristan softly.
It was the kind of kiss that had meaning. It wasn't anything other than Jasper's way of showing Tristan he loved him.
"But promise me you will? One day?"
Tristan smiled up at Jasper, kissing him on the cheek.
"I would love to marry you, one day, Jasper."
The two shared smiles, their voices quiet all through the night as they shared laughs. And all seemed good for the two vampires.
Because they were in love, and nothing could hurt people who were in love.
