Heart of Stone | Jasper Hale

07

When Mr. Molina called all of them back to the buses, Jasper and Aimee walked beside each other with their hands entwined, seeing Bella and Edward talking. It seemed intense.

"Can't they ever have a calm moment?" Aimee muttered, trying to walk closer to the scene. Jasper pulled her back, "Hey! I wanna hear what they're saying."

"Nothing that important." Jasper answered, and Aimee frowned.

"That's no fair! I want enhanced hearing, I can hear all the gossip in the cafeteria." Aimee grinned, and Jasper then began to think of a future where she was a vampire. He didn't want to live without her, but he didn't want her to go through the pain and torment in her first few months of the change.

But it didn't matter, it was Aimee's choice at the end of the day.

Alice then waltzed up to Bella and Edward, her voice breaking Jasper's thoughts, "Hi! Are you gonna be riding with us?" She asked Bella with a grin. Aimee smiled at her from Jasper's arms, he didn't want to let go of her.

"No, our bus is full." Edward shot back, turning around and entering the bus with a grimace.

"You liar!" Aimee called after him, but Jasper quickly tugged her into the bus, leaving Bella to stand there. Alice quickly followed, smiling apologetically at the human girl. When Aimee had settled into a seat, Jasper hurriedly sat in the seat next to her, looking relieved that Alice hadn't stolen the seat.

Aimee watched the whole thing.

"You snooze, you lose." Jasper shot at Alice, who stuck her tongue out at him and sat beside Edward, who looked like he was about to enter his brooding mood. Jasper turned back to Aimee and took her hand, his thumb brushing her knuckles. The girl rested her head on his shoulder and sighed in content.

"When did you turn?" Her voice whispered, careful of the people around her. Jasper tensed, he hadn't yet told her of his past. He was scared, no terrified, that she'd instantly hate him.

"In 1863." He replied, feeling Aimee sit up bolt-right, her eyes round with shock.

"1863! So you're like... ancient." She muttered, Jasper chuckled quietly.

"I'm not ancient, there are older vampires out there, " He said quietly, "I'll tell you about my past later, now isn't the place to do so."

Aimee nodded and settled back down, laying her head on his shoulder again, "Can't believe I'm dating a 166-year-old." She murmured, hearing Jasper's quiet laugh.

"I was nineteen when I turned, that sounds less creepy." Jasper whispered back, brushing his lips against her forehead, loving the feel of her in his arms.

The time on the bus quickly passed, and soon, they pulled up at the school, the group got off the bus and headed towards Edward's silver Volvo. Aimee had already alerted her mother that she was going to the Cullen house, since she was working late that night. Jasper would drop her off, Aimee's mother was desperate to meet the mysterious boy.

Edward and Alice got in the front, Jasper and Aimee at the back. The bronze-haired vampire sped through town and into the forest, driving towards their house. No one except Aimee wore a seatbelt, much to her concern.

Edward's eyes found hers in the rearview mirror, and he smirked, "We don't need seatbelts."

Aimee rolled her eyes, "When we get into a crash, we'll see who's laughing." Jasper chuckled, watching as Aimee eyed his seatbelt and then looked at him.

"I don't need-"

Aimee continued to stare at him, her blue eyes staring into his soul. Jasper sighed and grabbed the seatbelt, clicking it into place. He turned to her, "Are you happy now?"

Aimee nodded and grinned, "Very happy." Alice and Edward looked at each other in amusement as the car continued down the forest path, soon pulling up to the house. Jasper had undone his seatbelt and was at Aimee's door before she'd even began to think of taking off her own seatbelt. She got out of the door and kissed his cheek, walking beside Alice to the house.

Jasper rapidly followed close to her heels, Aimee laughed with Alice. They soon entered the living room and Esme stood up to hug Aimee tightly.

"How was the trip?" She asked with a smile, Edward shrugged his shoulders and walked off to his room. Alice and Aimee chattered to her about it, Jasper stayed silent and watched his mate with a soft smile.

After they had finished talking, Jasper tugged on her hand and guided Aimee up to his room. He wanted to be honest with her, honest about his past.

The couple entered his room, the vampire had set up a double bed in the corner of the room, so she could be comfortable. Bookshelves lined the walls, hundreds of novels filled them, he was an avid reader. Aimee's mouth dropped in delight when she saw them for the first time, walking around to look at every book.

Aimee sat down on the bed, Jasper soon following her, taking ahold of her hand.

"I need to tell you my past. But, please, just listen. I couldn't bear it if you hated me." Jasper said, seriousness filled the air. Aimee nodded silently, and Jasper sighed.

"I was born in 1844, in Texas. When I was seventeen, I joined the Confederate Army, I looked older for my age. During my two years, I was promoted to Major, the youngest." Jasper watched as Aimee's face fell. "After evacuating a colony of women and children in Galveston, I met Maria. She turned me, making me lead her armies for the Southern Vampire Wars. She won em' all, she was skilled, intelligent, and she had me. I trained her newborns, new vampires. She made me kill them after their first year. I could feel everything they felt." Tears that would never fall filled his eyes.

"Wait-"

"She manipulated me into thinking what we had was love, but it wasn't. I escaped from the South, going up to the North with two friends of mine, and I stayed with them for a few years. I fell into a depression, I could feel every emotion from my human victims. I was surviving on human blood at this point, until I met Alice. She promised that there was a coven that lived on animal blood, that I would be happy. We found them, and soon joined the Cullen family."

Jasper fell silent, Aimee had slowly pulled her hand out of his grip and her eyes were wide. Nothing was said for several seconds.

"You... served in the Confederate Army?" She asked in a quiet voice, Jasper nodded wordlessly, feeling his heart break. "So you believed that colored people had little to no rights? That slavery was alright?"

"I was young. I thought what I was doing was right, but I realised that I wasn't. I don't believe in that anymore, I'm not the same man I was back then." Jasper explained, "My values back then are not the same now, I've changed." He added, watching Aimee contemplate it.

"Your actions are inexcusable, but if you insisted that you've changed, then I believe you." Aimee took his hand, squeezing it gently, "That's in your past, you're not that man anymore." She whispered, pressing a kiss to his lips. Jasper felt a weight fall of his shoulders, relieved that she had understood and still accepted it.

"Thank you, I'm not proud of what I've done. But I needed to tell you." He whispered, pulling her into his chest, leaning back on the pillows.

"Thank you for telling me, I know it must've been difficult." She replied, "And I will kick Maria's ass if she ever reappears, I promise you that." She turned around and buried her head into the crook of his neck, his arms came around her waist and hugged her tightly.

"I have no doubt about that, darlin'."