My Major | Jasper Whitlock

22 - Make Me Leave

"Haven't you learnt your lesson?" He asks smugly.

Nala rolls her eyes and bites the cookie. "Shove off." She says.

He chuckles and wraps his arms around her. "I can feel how tense you are. Why don't you go for a bath?"

"I'm fine." She says as casually as she can manage, taking another bite of the cookie.

Jasper sighs. "I can read you like a book." He says. "But fine fine. I won't pry."

"Good." She kisses his cheek just as he tenses. She frowns but a moment later realises. "She's almost here."

Jasper nods stiffly and pushes Nala slightly behind him as three individuals appear from the clearing. Maria, of course, is recognisable but the two males are easy to distinguish between. Leon is a tall male with tanned skin like Maria's along with chin length brown hair, red eyes and a very well structured face. The boy must only be about 15, dimples still on his face and his curly brown hair making him look even younger. He, too, has very red eyes.

"Jasper." Maria says with a smile. "Thank you again... This is Leon, as you know. And our son Michael." She gestures to the boy.

Jasper nods once. "Welcome. We won't spend more than a day here so I ask you refrain from hunting in this area - I'm sure you can hang on. And I ask you don't enter my home." He says sternly.

"As you wish." Maria nods.

Leon looks around at the immortals before him before his eyes fall on Nala. "Peculiar... You seem so at ease with a human beside you." He notes.

Jasper pushes Nala back a little, Nala scowling as she wants to see. "It's rather easy actually. Not all of us hunt for the thrill."

"Hmm, yes, Maria has tried your diet a few times. I, myself, can't see the appeal." He says as he watches Jasper's defensive actions.

"Well it takes a certain kind of person." Jazz says smugly.

Nala rolls her eyes; this is just going to be a big case of who has the bigger package. "I'm going to check in the girls." She whispers to him as she places a kiss on his shoulder.

He nods once and watches her go inside before turning back to the trio. "Any way... There are a few things we need to talk about." He says.

Maria nods. "Of course... I'd say let's go sit inside but that isn't an option."

Jasper ignores the comment. "We aren't going to fight. We will go to speak to him, reason with him; maybe barter a little." He explains. "We are not going there to fight him."

"Why not? Where's the fun?" Leon smirks.

Emmett rolls his eyes. "If you roped us in just for back up then you should just leave. We don't fight."

"I know I've heard the stories." Leon smirks. "You had the Volturi in your grasp and you didn't rid us of them? Tut, tut, tut."

The Cullens and Peter and Charlotte all roll their eyes. Peter speaks up. "Again, takes a certain kind of person to do that. If it comes to a fight we are out. It's as simple as that."

"Then what's the point?" Maria asks.

"Dacre may be a hot head but we have to try to appeal to him, or one of the others. If we can knock his numbers down he won't change a fight, he won't have enough muscle with him. That's plan a."

"So, plan b?" Maria asks crossing her arms. This isn't working out as she'd hoped, though none of her plans do in the end.

Edward smirks at the thought, how very true it is. "Plan b is to report him to the Volturi."

"Oh because they like you so much. And what if they go after me for my part in the wars?" Maria demands.

"They won't be concerned about that. What they will be concerned about is the risk Dacre causes to our kind - even if they don't step in, they'll keep an eye on him and then he'll have no moves to make." Edward explains.

"Esta fue una mala idea. ¡Te dije que nunca deberíamos haber venido a él!" Leon yells.

Edward rolls his eyes. "No, you shouldn't have come to him, us. But you did, and you either do it our way or go. It's entirely your choice."

Leon grows more annoyed. "Bastardo." He mutters.

Maria huffs. "Put your attitude away, we need them. Por nuestro hijo, nuestra familia." She touches Leon's cheek.

Michael looks around at the people surrounding him before finally finding the courage to speak out. "I think we need their help... I don't want it to become a fight, I want this to be resolved peacefully. If you can't accept that, Leon, then...then...then I leave." He says as confidently as he can manage.

Leon glares; he never particularly wanted a tag along but Maria did. And he's been nothing but a thorn in his side ever since; if it were down to him, he would have happily and easily talked Maria into a fight. A battle how they like - newborns, only the best. But Maria is too invested in settling down, changing her diet. Modern construct has never been more of a negative issue for him until now, now it's tearing his mate and him apart. It doesn't happen often, in fact it's very rare, but two mates can lose their connection for whatever reason. And he believes this is the case.

-

Nala runs a bath as she listens to Lilo sing to Effie. She smiles to herself and goes to check on them. "Shall we have a bubble bath?" She asks Lilo.

She nods and runs excitedly to grab her towel as Nala picks Esther up with a smile. She strips the infant down and goes back to the bathroom with fresh towels for her and Effie just as Lilo throws hers down beside them.

"Is it ready?!" She demands.

Nala nods and leans over to feel. "Yes it is. In you get." She holds her free hand out and helps Lilo in before she strips and climbs in too. She holds Esther gently in the water as Lilo instantly grabs the sponge and baby soap. With her mom's help she washes her sister, being careful not to get soap or shampoo in her eyes. Her mom then one handedly helps her before they get out and put matching pyjamas on.

Lilo sits on the couch with Esther on a cushion in her lap, a plate of cookies beside her. Nala smiles as she brings cocoa in. "This is nice huh?" She says gently.

Lilo nods and glances out of the window; she's a little sad her dad can't join in but she sort of understands that he has to work. He isn't a normal daddy, but he's her daddy. And sometimes he goes away for a week or a weekend, his eyes change color; he is very strong. And she knows he doesn't sleep. But that's what makes him her dad.

"Will daddy join us soon?" She asks as she looks back to her mom.

Nala looks out of the window for a second. "I'm sure he will when he's done, okay? He's going away for a few days so he probably wants lots and lots of cuddles before he goes." She brushes Li's hair back gently.

The girl nods and Nala smiles; she truly has raise a magnificent little lady already.