✔ | 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐍, jasper hale

fifteen

Laurent scanned her for a minute before he sped out of the house. The fear itching on his skin was growing the more he stared at her. Madelline couldn't help but look back at Jasper with confusion, who just shook his head at her and squeezed her hand.

"Don't mind him. Maybe he's spewing nonsense."

Rosalie saw Madelline entering the room where they were, she quickly walked towards her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. Jasper, now knowing she will be with someone, went ahead and stood with Emmett.

"I've had to fight our kind before and I must warn you, we're not that easy to kill," he told them.

"But not impossible," Emmett smirked, hitting his fist against his open palm as if challenging James head-on. "We'll tear them apart and break them into pieces."

Carlisle looks up at his words and shakes his head at Emmett. "I do not relish the thought of killing another creature. Even a sadistic one like James."

Madelline walked towards where the cars were with Rosalie following closely behind her, they immediately saw Bella and Edward standing close to each other, listening closely to what Carlisle, Jasper, and Emmett were talking about. Rosalie's eyes hardened at the sight of the two and tore her eyes away from them. Madelline sent Bella a soft smile, knowing how much the girl must be confused and scared as well, and walked towards her.

"Hey," she softly called out to her. "Are you alright?"

Bella heaved a sigh, shaking her head as she looked down. "I don't really know, to be honest. I've said some words to Charlie before we went here. To add up on that, there's a vampire hunting me, so I really don't know if I'm alright," she confessed as she fiddle with the zippers of her jacket.

Madelline leaned her head on her shoulder and held her against hers, placing comforting circles on her knuckles. "I don't know too what will happen but everything will turn out alright, okay? They won't let anything happen to you, especially Edward," she reassured her.

"How are you so... calm and collected? Like, you're not panicking at all. Does Elijah know about you going away?" Bella continuously asked. She wanted to be calm as her and appear as if she wasn't affected. It was the least thing she could do for Edward and to his family as they would be the ones protecting them.

"I'm scared too but I try to keep myself calm because the more I panic, the more it clouds everything and that makes me less much useful to situations where they might need me," she softly replied before pulling away to face her. She ruffled her hair slightly and squeezed her shoulder lightly before going back beside Jasper.

"I'm gonna run Bella to South. Madelline should too," Edward told them and picked up a duffle bag before placing it on the hood of his car.

"Dude, I can't outrun you, more so James," Madelline replied, dumbfounded at what he was asking her to do.

"Not you. Jasper."

"No Edward. James would know that you and Jasper wouldn't leave the girls," Carlisle said, stopping from what he was doing.

"I can go with Bella and Maddy. I'll drive them South," Alice volunteered as she looked at her brothers in front of her. "I can keep them safe."

"Can you keep your thoughts to yourself?" Edward asked. Alice briefly nodded before she walked towards where her car was. Madelline sent Jasper a look who looked down at her and nodded, leaning down to kiss her forehead before he pulled away. Madelline walked away from him, their hands last to break apart.

"Hey," Madelline called out to Jasper as soon as she got inside Alice's car. Jasper immediately looked at her and walked towards where she was, leaning down to be at eye level with her. He could almost sense the worry radiating from her. "Be careful, please?"

"You should be the one being careful, darling," he countered and leaned his forehead towards her. Madelline closed her eyes at the contact, relishing the feeling of being close with her guy before they have to be temporarily apart.

"You may be strong and immortal but you're not invincible, so you should still be careful," she softly replied, caressing his cheek with the pad of her thumb. Madelline pulled away slightly to look at him in the eye before kissing his cheek.

"You'll be back and I will be too. We'll pull everything through."

Jasper smiled softly at her and nodded. Madelline's eyes shifted from him and towards Carlisle, her next actions surprising Jasper. She got out of the car and went straight towards Carlisle, suddenly pulling him into a tight hug, surprising not just him but the entire family.

Carlisle's tense shoulders gradually relaxed and returned her hug, the rest of the family smiling at the adorable sight in front of them.

"Please be careful too, Carlisle. Please tell that to Esme and to your stubborn children as well," she told him, her words muffled against his chest. Carlisle chuckled and rubbed circles on her shoulder.

"Duly noted, Maddy."

She pulled away and smiled for one last time at Carlisle before walking back to Alice's car and got inside. She saw how Jasper walked back where he was, sending Alice a knowing nod to which the latter returned before she started pulling out of their driveway.

Phoenix, Bella's previous homeland, was their supposed hideout and where they are supposed to wait for them.

Jasper and Edward's eyes remained on the car until it faded away into the darkness. Jasper couldn't help but feel his stomach churn, as if it was silently warning him that something will go wrong with this plan they have.

He could only pray that this warning does not involve Madelline.