They talked for a few more minutes, Jasper working up his courage to tell her the truth. It was a lot to take in, and he decided that he would go slowly, he would tell her about the mating bond eventually, but not today. Rosalie's eyes snapped at the ceiling, and everyone could hear the change in her heartbeat.
"She's waking up," Rosalie informed.
***
A light was shining over Margaret when she opened her eyes. She looked around, moving her head to the side. She was in a big room, with tall windows and surrounded by trees. She sat up, pinching her nose between her index finger and her thumb. The headache began to settle in. From downstairs she heard voices, talking over a phone and between them. The memories are still fuzzy in her memory, but she remembered bits and pieces of them. She had known Jasper, a long, long time ago. Still, a little dizzy, she walked to the window and stared through it at the vastness of the woods. She heard footsteps behind her, but she didn't turn.
"Hi," the soft and velvety voice of Jasper melted around her. In some way, it made her feel comfortable and safe, even with the millions of questions she had in mind. "How are you feeling?" He walked closer, reaching the window and leaning over it, peeking at her face. Smooth waves of comfort radiated from her.
"Mentally or physically?" She wondered, a hint of sarcasm ringing through the air. Jasper let out a huffed breath, not knowing if he should laugh.
"Both?" His voice rang in her head, the memories flushed back with strength. Margaret turned to face him then, a smile slowly creeping its way into her face.
"I'm still a little confused," she began, her eyes distant, traveling through the room. "I can't distinguish what was real from what was my unconsciousness." She hummed. The memories faded as she tried to run after them.
"I," Jasper commenced, scratching the back of his neck instinctively. "I wanted to talk to you about that." Those words were so hard for him to utter, but he managed to get them out, looking at his mate through his lashes. His mate. He would never tire of hearing it. Margaret furrowed her brows slightly as she looked at him, obviously still puzzled. "I'm sure you have questions, so ask away." Margaret was lost in his eyes, but the need for answers was so strong within her that she managed to begin her interrogation.
"How did I get here?" She had wondered about that for a few minutes, she remembers picking up Alice's call at around five, but when she had woken it was only five-thirty. How could all of that have happened in such a short time?
"Alice called us, we all went looking for you." He spoke carefully, knowing perfectly well that answer wouldn't suffice.
"How did all that happen in less than thirty minutes?" Margaret looked intensely at him, then sighed, heading back to the couch and sitting there, her hands intertwined. "Jasper, I-" She began, then laughed at her thoughts. "I have no idea what's happening and I can only imagine what may have happened but it only makes things worse, so please," she breathed. "Please just tell me, be truthful, and be over with it." She pleaded, her eyes shining with tears, for a brief second Jasper thought that was how she would've looked when she heard the news of his death.
"It's not something easy to say." Jasper managed, his jaw tightening. "It's not something I would be able to say, in normal conditions." He sighed.
"What do you mean?" Margaret asked, something clicking in her brain. Jasper looked at her, sensing the concern and confusion that flowed out of her. "Jasper, what do you mean?" She asked again. He didn't even know why, but he knelt in front of her and took her hands in his, her eyes shooting to meet his.
"Fiona Margaret Swan, I need you to swear to me you won't speak of what I'm about to expose right now. Telling you simply puts my family and me in danger." His voice was solemn, erasing Margaret's smile in a blink.
"Jasper, you're scaring me..." She breathed, "Are you alright?" Her hand shot to his cheek out of instinct. The cold of it shocked right through her, but she didn't even flinch.
"This won't be easy to take in, Margaret, but I must tell you." He concluded. "I-" he paused, feeling the tension from downstairs. "We are vampires." He blurted. Margaret stared for a few seconds, her emotions blank.
"What?" Her eyebrows shot up, and she backed away. "Jasper if this is a joke it's not funny." She breathed, her hands shaking. "Did Alice put you up to this?" She was so confused.
"Please, Margaret don't be afraid," Jasper begged her hands and his still holding each other.
"Jasper, I'm not afraid," she reassured him, her hand shot up to her forehead, rubbing the headache away and trying to piece the puzzle together. Her emotions backed her up in her statement. "I just can't understand this, believe this, it's just-" Margaret slumped down, her eyebrows still knotted together.
"I understand," Jasper breathed. "And I would understand too if you wanted to leave right now and never talk to me again." He stated firmly. "Though, if it is what you wish, I would ask to escort you home, to be safe." He finished, dropping her hands and walking away.
"That's not what I want," She sighed, "I may be concussed or simply crazy, but I want to stay, with you." Jasper was just by the door when he stopped in his tracks, a wave of love and compassion crashing on him as her eyes met his. "I cannot begin to comprehend the world I have been living in, unaware of its hidden secrets, but I can try." Jasper's eyes lit with a thousand stars and hopes, he walked back to her, and as he did Margaret spoke up again. "I think deep inside I knew something was different about you, the way I felt around you couldn't simply be human." She whispered ever so faintly, but Jasper heard it. Jasper hugged her close, and tight. A few tears rolled down her cheeks and Jasper's eyes held onto the ones that would never fall. "Jasper," Margaret breathed, the boy hummed in response, his face buried in her neck. "Jasper I need to breathe." She almost whispered, fast as light the boy let go of her and scanned her with concern.
"Did I hurt you?" He asked, his hands cupping her face. Margaret smiled softly at him, her hands caressing his.
"No, you didn't." She insisted, "I wasn't used to your strength that's all." Though Jasper felt the annoyance of her headache, he took it from her, incapable of seeing her suffer anymore. Her brows furrowed, her hand shooting to her forehead again.
"Pain-free?" Jasper whispered, their eyes meeting. Margaret laughed incredulously her eyes shining gratefully.
"Vampires have superpowers or something?" She joked, Jasper smirked as he nodded his head.
"Something like that," He took her hand in his and sent her all his love, his brows knotted together in concentration. "Pathokinesis, is my superpower, as you call it." He hummed, her eyes switching from his hand to his eyes. "I sense emotions," He explained. From downstairs effusive talk and laughter were heard, along with chants of celebration.
"Ah, the family must've heard." Jasper sighed, his smile never faltering and their hands intertwined.
"Hmm, vampire super hearing?" Margaret inquired sarcastically, earning a nod and a smirk from Jasper.
"You could say that." His face furrowed as the emotions flashed through him. "They want to meet you." He explained.
"Oh, your parents?" Margaret looked uncertain, and she looked down at her feet.
"Yeah, you already know my brothers, but this is more..." he paused. "Official." He concluded. His hands resting on hers, feeling her insecurity he squeezed her hand. "What is it?"
"I don't know, I'm afraid I have already messed up my first impression on them." She explained, looking up at him.
"You're concerned about your first impression of my parents?" Jasper repeated, his arms crossed over his chest with a smug grin on his face.
"Yes, yes I am," Margaret replied. "You can wipe that awful smirk you've got there or I'll do it for you, Jasper." She snapped with a wide smile on her face, Jasper laughed tenderly and held her hands in his.
"I'm sure they'll love you." With those reassuring words from Jasper, they walked downstairs and into the living room where the Cullens were sitting and talking among themselves.
"Maggie!" Alice chirped racing towards her with inhuman speed.
"Woah." Margaret breathed when Alice hugged her in a matter of seconds. She almost tripped backward from the impact, causing Alice to jump back. "Sorry, I'm still getting used to all of this." She explained hugging Alice back. When they parted she looked back at Jasper and hummed. "I'm honored you trusted me with this." Then she faced the rest of them. "Your secret is safe with me, and I thank you, for trusting me with it." She finished. Rosalie walked forward.
"I wouldn't have wanted to drag you into this, but I'm glad you understand." She said plainly and hugged her quickly. Then she held her at arm's length and nodded at her with a tight smile.
"Welcome to the family, Maggie." Michael welcomed shortly.
"Well, seems we're going to see a lot of you now Maggie." Emmett teased looking at Jasper, who gave him a look.
"You won't admit it but we both know you had your fingers crossed it would turn out that way." Maggie mocked, and with that, Emmett rushed towards her and spun her off the ground. Then he placed her down and patted his brother on the shoulder. Jasper led Margaret toward the two oldest vampires, Carlisle and Esme.
"Margaret, these are Carlisle Cullen, and Esme Cullen, the closest thing we all have to parents," Jasper explained.
"Pleasure to officially meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Cullen." Margaret greeted, extending her hand formally toward them.
"The pleasure is ours," Esme said with a smile as she hugged her close.
"You're practically family to us, Margaret," Carlisle added.
From behind, Edward scoffed under his breath. Margaret turned to meet his burning eyes.
"Ah, you already know Edward." Jasper coughed, trying to get Edward to cooperate, twisting his feelings slightly.
"Hi." He nodded, in a somewhat sympathetic tone. Something seemed to grab his attention and he looked right at Margaret and walked towards her as if he might do something. Jasper walked in front of her, causing Edward to stare at Jasper with disgust as if he would fight him right there and then. Then he ran out. Margaret let out a sigh, releasing the tension from her system.
"Did I do something wrong?" Margaret inquired, looking around at the family.
"Oh don't mind Edward, he's just frustrated." Emmett teased, leaning over the table.
"Why?" Margaret questioned, her eyes trying to find answers in someone.
"He can't read you, and that upsets him." Rosalie cut in. Margaret furrowed her brows together and then seemed to remember.
"Oh shoot!" She fused over her bag, scrambled through it, and found her phone. She pressed her father's contact quickly and placed the phone on her ear. She signaled to Jasper that she'd be put in the hall for a second and stepped outside. Her father picked her up by the second ring.
"Hello." He answered in a smooth and enthusiastic tone.
"Hi, pops," Margaret answered, cherishing her father's voice over the line.
"Hey Maggs, how are you doing kiddo?" Charlie pondered.
"Good, I'm good." She sighed, less tense now that she had heard her father so calm.
"I'm glad, Alice and Doctor Cullen called me earlier to tell me about your fall." He explained, and Margaret could only wonder about what they had told him. "You gotta be careful Maggie, with the rain Forks grounds get slippery." He instructed.
"Yeah- yeah, I know. I had my mind in school and stuff, you know me." She laughed, relieved that they didn't tell him the actual reason she had fallen. "Luckily Alice's house was close by and they managed to get me on my feet fairly quickly." She continued, hoping she hadn't contradicted anything they had already told him.
"Alright kiddo," Charlie breathed, "Dr. Cullen was kind enough to ask me if you wanted to stay over, his kids could drive you to school tomorrow and then you can come home, you know if you rather get some rest now." He offered.
"Oh, yeah, that sounds great." She agreed. After some short catching up and their goodbyes, Maggie finally hugged up the phone and took a deep breath. When she turned back to enter the living room Esme bumped into her.
"Would you like some tea, honey?" She asked politely.
"Oh, I wouldn't want to trouble you." She replied quickly.
"Oh it's no trouble, I love any excuse to use the kitchen." She patted her on the shoulder and rushed to the kitchen. Margaret's feelings washed over Jasper like the sea would on a calm day.
"I'm sorry, I know this is all very overwhelming," Jasper spoke from behind her. She turned to him, smiling as his hands reached for hers.
"I don't mind, I'll get used to it." She replied confidently, though her eyes dropped.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Jasper's finger lifted her chin, their eyes meeting again. Two souls connected.
"Alice and Michael said you were sick." She stated, playing with her nails as the discomfort settled in. "I thought that's why you weren't coming to school..." She dragged on. Jasper was tense, he didn't want to tell her, not yet. He didn't think she was ready to know, but most importantly, he wasn't ready to tell her yet. "Did I do something wrong?" She blurted out instantly. Her eyes were searching and Jasper had to contain himself from kissing her that very moment. His eyes were still fixed on her lips. "Is it," she shuddered, "is it my blood?" Jasper's eyes met hers like a magnet. Though her emotions were all the contrary to fear, something sparkled within her, it was doubt. Not the kind of doubt Jasper had felt in the war, training newborns, doubting if they would be killed the second they learned to control themselves. It was doubt of being enough, of being rejected.
"No," Jasper replied quickly. "No, it isn't that." He squeezed her hands reassuringly. "My family and I, we like to call ourselves vegetarians," he laughed. "We only feed on animals, not humans." He explained, but Maggie wasn't cowering, she stood her guard, waiting for her answer, like she always did. "I was scared." He told her, and it felt nice, revealing his vulnerability to her. Her brows furrowed, trying to comprehend where he was coming from. "I was scared I might like you," he went on, closing the distance between them slowly with each step. "I was afraid I might not be able to live without you." Closer. "I was afraid I might love you." Their noses almost touching, their eyes searching into each other. Maggie swallowed the lump in her throat, her stomach twisted with the butterflies she had in it. She let out a breathy giggle, her smile lighting the hallway they stood in.
"So my blood has never tempted you?" She asked her voice hushed and thick.
"You as a whole have tempted me more than you can imagine," Jasper answered. His chin rested on her head as she slithered her arms around his neck. They held each other that way for a while, simply existing.