storm ◇ jasper hale ◇

chapter thirteen ; home

"How's the wrist?" Sierra asked, looking at Madej with a raised eyebrow. 'How are you?' she signed, concern flashing over her face briefly.

"OK," he said, nodding a little bit. 'I'm worried,' he signed, and she nodded, then reached over and put a hand on his shoulder briefly. 'We need to go back to Forks, but I'm ... I'm worried.'

Sierra looked at him, eyes going over him like she was examining him, but not in a cruel way. "You're always welcome to stay here. I know things have changed, but you don't have to hide everything from me. I miss you."

"Miss you too, Sierra. I don't miss being the one taking random potions," he said, smiling at her.

"Well, Zeke and Ben wouldn't, you were the one stupid enough to accept them." Sierra looked at him, giving him a soft look. "Remember when we used to do dancing together?"

Madej nodded, watching as Sierra went to work on his wrist, fingers moving intricately around the bandaging. "We thought we were the shit."

"We still are, bitch, what are you talking about?" Sierra looked up at him, smiling, before she looked back at what she was doing. "When you guys moved away, I figured I'd go somewhere sunny. My friends were gone, the rest of my coven. I figured that I should go find someplace else for me in this shit country."

"Have you found it?" he asked, looking around the room they were in. It looked lived in, which mattered.

Sierra nodded, finishing up her work. "I have my home here, and a home with you and your family. Just like you have one with me. Come on, you've gotta pack up and take a plane back home."

The two got up and headed back into the living room where Jasper, Mandy and Benedict were standing.

"It's all packed and ready to go, Mads," Mandy said when she noticed him and Sierra. "Thanks for this, Sierra,"

She waved Mandy off. "No problem. Just next time when I come visit, you gotta bake me those apple pies of yours. Make life worth living, those do."

The two women hugged, smiling as they said their goodbyes. Benedict was the next to hug Sierra. "Always for them two, never for me,"

"It's because I like your little brother best. He's cute."

"He's stupid." Madej punched Benedict's arm, trying to look annoyed but he knew it didn't come across as that.

Sierra rolled her eyes at their antics before she shoved Benedict in the direction of the door. Mandy shared a look with the young woman before she followed her oldest son out of the house. "You." Sierra said, pointing at Jasper, who looked uncomfortable at the sudden attention.

"Yes, ma'am?" he asked as he stepped closer to them, his and Madej's bags in his hands.

"Madej here is a special case, aren't you?" she asked, pinching Madej's cheek, acting like she was the adult in their relationship. Just because she was three years older than him. He slapped her hand away, embarrassed that she thought she could still act like that around him. "You hurt him in any way, and I will tear that undead head off your body and burn you to the ground."

Jasper let out a breathy laugh, a sort of smile on his face. "Duly noted. Though I think you'd have to wait for his family and friends to have their vengeance if I ever did such a thing." He inclined his head a little. "Thank you for your hospitality."

Sierra pursed her lips slightly before she stuck her hand out to Jasper. He raised an eyebrow at him before he accepted it. Once that was done, Sierra pulled Madej into a bone crushing hug. "Don't try and kill yourself, Mads. Be careful. Be gay, do crime."