Being an empath was not as easy as the people around him thought, it wasn't something you could just dismiss or turn off and it was even more difficult not to let oneself be affected by it. The consent flow of emotions left him feeling rather drained and not for the first time in many years, Jasper wish he could just close his eyes and rest. It was the one thing he missed most from his human years, to be able, after a long hard day of work, to go back to his tent or bed at his parent's home and rest.

To let his mind shut off, even for a little awhile, sounded like a blessing at this present time.

Unfortunately, he was a vampire.

Not human.

He sighed as he fought the urge to rub at his temples. The chaotic emotions in the Cullen house were starting to get on his nerves.

Seriously, how the hell did he manage fifty years here?

Not long after the mock battles in the woods, Jasper had called a close to the lesson. The wolves had been getting restless sitting there for hours. It sent him a reminder that they were still very much human, humans that needed food and sleep. Carlisle agreed and very diplomatically told the wolves to meet them there again tomorrow. After they were gone, those who had come in the car had left - not without a glare or two in Jaspers direction - after being told by Carlisle to meet them at the house.

The five vampires upon arriving at the Cullen's home had moved into the living room, where they stood in a deafening silence awaiting the arrival of the others. It hadn't taken them very long, roughly fifteen minutes but it felt like an eternity, from the questioning glazes of the two vampires and the piercing stare of Rosalie's that rested upon both him and Rhea and every little movement they made. He felt like they were a puzzle where the pieces fit but the image made no sense to the viewer.

Was it really such a strange sight? He wondered while playing with the ends of Rhea's hair as they waited for the others to arrive.

Such a movement, something that seemed to simple to him, caught the attention of Esme. Her head ever so slightly tilted, eyes watching every twirl of hair through his fingers. Jasper caught her eyes and raised a brow, Esme did nothing but smile at him. He could feel her curiosity, her happiness but also her lingering sadness. If Jasper had to guess, it was a sadness for her daughter, a sort of mourning for what she deemed a once 'happy marriage'.

There had been nothing happy about the marriage, Jasper could see that now. Of how blind he had been. How alone he was.

It disgusted him how hopeless he'd been. Had he truly been so desperate for affection, for acceptance, that he would jump into a life that would rob him of himself for fifty-five years?

Apparently, he had been.

A surge of emotion brought Jasper out of his musings, the source was his mate next to him. She was uncomfortable with the stares of his once family, and he couldn't blame her.

Jasper liked to think of himself as a reasonable man, fair but firm if not a little dark sometimes, but the distress of his other half made him want to rip apart and destroy all that of which made her uncomfortable. No questions asked, but more of an I'll-kill-you-now-and-not-ask-you-questions-later.

Instead, he pulled her close ensuring that the front right side of her body was pushed firmly against his left. His arm wrapped tightly around her waist, head tucked under his chin and pressed a lingering kissed to her hair. He sent her love and reassurance and hoped it would ease her.

If nothing else, then just a little.

He felt her relax but it did not stop him from shooting a sideways glare and just a touch of his anger at the other three vampires. Who understood the glare and looked away immediately, and one who scoffed as she did so.

Carlisle feeling guilty for making Jaspers mate uncomfortable sought to rectify it. Those he brought into his home were to be made comfortable and welcomed and not like they were a piece of meat an animal was waiting to pounce on.

"Forgive us, Rhea, if our staring has made you uncomfortable in any way." He started with a small guilty smile, "It still a strange sight for us to take in after not seeing Jasper for several months and then he comes home with his mate. It's been a bit of a shock for us all I believe." He gestured to Esme, Rosalie, and himself hoping she would understand.

And if Rhea's smile was anything to go by, then she completely understood. Carlisle found himself relaxing and returning her smile with a more genuine one of his own.

And when she spoke, her voice was light and it tinkled with her Greek accent not chimed as most vampires' voices did. It suited her but most of all, it made him feel at ease.

"No forgiveness is needed Carlisle, for there is nothing to forgive. I am just not used to being watched so intently by my own kind." Her voice amused before it turned more serious. "But I do understand the curiosity of which my present sparks and even the anger or unfairness of it all."

The pointed words were not lost on anyone there, Carlisle least of all. The behavior of Edward and Alice, even Bella, was not lost on him. Alice, he could understand, the man she had loved and been with for fifty-five years had shown up not just a few months after their divorce, with a woman. She was hurt and angry and all hope she was holding onto was slipping through her fingers. And while it didn't excuse her behavior, he could understand it to a point. As for Edward, he had always been the closest to Alice, they truly were like brother and sister. Alice's anger over Jasper and hurt over Rhea fulled Edward's anger towards the two. It was silly and immature and it showed Carlisle just how young Edward truly was, but most of all, he was disappointed with them.

Carlisle let out a weary sigh and gave the two vampires an apologetic glance "Truly it pains me to see my children act as they have, Alice and Edward have always been close, more so because of their gifts and while it does not give them the right to act so hostile, Edward less so, I suppose one could come to understand it."

Jasper scoffed tightening his grip on Rhea "I'm sorry Carlisle but that's utter bullshit. Alice is angry; and while that is something I can understand even with the way she treated me last time we were together, I feel like she's lost that privilege. Edward, on the other hand, has no right to stand there and look down on me, on us, and for what? That I left? That I switch diets? Or is it because I found someone who sees me and not the so-called man who lived here for fifty years. Or could it possibly be that fact that I did something for myself instead of coddling him as we've always done."

The Cullens shifted in place, Rosalie glared out the window uncaring, Esme grabbed her husband's hand with a frown as Carlisle let out another sigh but before he could speak Esme did: "Alice is very angry," she confirmed to everyone in the room "but she is also hurt, Jasper. I'm sure you understand that you were married for fifty years. The diet switch shocked her just as much as it did everyone else."

He felt Rhea give his arm a gentle squeeze and sighed, his anger cooled because he did understand, what he did, the decision he made, it had come unexpectedly to those that were once his family. Perhaps if he had opened up, explained how he felt instead of just doing it then maybe things could have been different. Maybe, just maybe he could have left without stepping on too many toes.

But, what was done was done, and regardless of how things had happened, Jasper didn't regret a single moment.

"I understand Esme, I do, truly. But I won't apologize for what I did but I will say that perhaps things could have been done slightly differently. But that doesn't excuse her behavior." Jasper closed his eyes briefly and inhaled the scent of Rhea, that honeydew and rain giving him the little bit of strength he needed for he knew his next words would hurt Esme.

He opened his eyes and caught hers, his gaze firm and unyielding "I was sorely unhappy Esme. I felt claustrophobic like the walls were boxing in around me a little more every day and the need to eat, to be me, grew with my unhappiness. I couldn't take it, the same routines, the same diet, the same everything. It was all so mundane, so ordinary, so human. To play pretend for years it all became boring."

The others were silent while Esme looked, as he knew she would, hurt and upset at his words. To know that someone she called son for so many years had been so unhappy, and all right under her nose. She couldn't help but wonder if she had seen it sooner could things have been different? Could she have helped Jasper become more content in his life with them?

Carlisle gave his wife's hand a gentle squeeze. He didn't need Edward's gift to know where her thoughts were heading and Jasper hadn't exactly minced his words not even for a second. Carlisle let go of her hand an instead wrapped an arm around his distraught wife, no one knew quite what to say, even Rosalie who continued to glare out the window said nothing.

And soon it became too late for not a few moments later the sound of an engine and tires on gravel reached their ears. And soon enough three vampires and a human walked in the door. Emmett immediately moved to his wife throwing an arm around her shoulders and tossed a grin to Jasper and his mate. Alice and Edward along with Bella moved into the room at a much slower pace, they stopped in front of the window a little distance from where everyone else was standing.

Bella seemed anxious as she stared at both Jasper and Rhea. Jasper hadn't made any move to remove his mate from his arms or her from under his chin, as he watched the three of them from over her head.

Edward let out a scoff at the sight, one that was too quiet for human ears to catch but loud enough for vampires to hear. Nearly immediately Rhea removed herself from Jasper's grasp thinking it was best not stir the pot anymore then it needed to be but allowed him to wrap an arm around her waist and pull her close into his side.

Things were...tense for lack of better words. No one had forgotten the argument they had before meeting with the wolves.

Alice and Edward stood glaring at Jasper and Rhea. Jasper's gaze just as fierce while Rhea stood calmly doing her upmost in sending her mate as much love and peace as she could. She knew that Jasper would need something he could focus on instead of all the anger and hate rolling around the room.

Carlisle cleared his throat just as aware of the rising tension in the room "Bella, I don't believe we had time for introductions earlier. This is Rhea, Jasper's mate." He gestured from Rhea to Bella with his next words "Rhea, this is Bella, Edwards...mate."

Rhea smiled pleasantly knowing the human most likely disliked her immensely if the way she pursed her lips as if she'd just sucked on a lemon was anything to go by.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Bella. Jasper has told me a little about you."

Bella frowned, "You...too. I-" her frown deepened, eyes narrowing looking pointedly at Jasper "I don't understand, I thought Alice was your mate."

"Alice was never my mate Bella." Jasper sighed somewhat drained from the emotions in the room. Not to mention, he was starting to get irritated "We both knew it when we met all those years ago."

"But she could be Jasper, how do you know for sure she isn-"

Jasper cut Bella off amused thinking back to the night he met Rhea and the animalistic needs that overtook them both "Trust me, Bella, I'd know if Alice was my mate." He looked to Rhea amused. She gave him an amused grin back, knowing exactly what he was thinking about. Or should she say when he was thinking about.

Edward grimaced as their thoughts hit him. It was disgusting, appalling, completely vulgar. For either one of them to even think that something like that was normal, that the urge to claim, to fuck was a sign that you were mates was utterly ludicrous.

Bella opened her mouth again but a quick glance at Edward and she fell silent.

Rhea shared another look with Jasper before Jasper spoke once more "I think it's best if we leave. We can meet again tomorrow morning."

"Nonsense Jasper, you can both stay here. We have plenty of room." Esme offered kindly.

Rosalie scoffed loudly "Oh joy, It can be one big party of who-can-kill-the-other-first." She smirked, "My money is on Jasper."

Jasper rose a brow at her as Alice hissed out a "Shut up!"

"No..." He started slowly looking amused at Rose "I think its best Rhea and I leave. We've already booked a hotel room for the week in Seattle." Jasper gave Rhea a gentle push towards the front door. They had not booked a hotel room, at least not yet but who the hell was going to know if they did or didn't. And there was no way in hell he was staying here.

Fuck no.

Never mind the fact that they both needed to hunt soon.

God.

He could see the shitstorm Edward would bring if that happened.

So yeah, no-fucking-thank-you.

"Of course Jasper. You're always welcome here, both you and Rhea. This is still your home." Carlisle gave them a small smile as he walked them towards the door.

Jasper gave a slight nod, beside him Rhea smiled back "Thank you, Carlisle, your kindness truly knows no boundaries."

Carlisle politely opened the door for them and then moved forward to hug Jasper. It was brief and ended with a pat on the shoulder "It is good to see you again Jasper." He then turned to Rhea and held out a hand "And it truly was a pleasure to meet you, Rhea."

She smiled once more and shook his hand "As it was you, Carlisle."

With a hand on her back Jasper led Rhea to their car before getting in he gave Carlisle one last wave before settling in, starting the car and leaving.

Rhea scooted over and laced their fingers together as Jasper let out a deep sigh. He smiled and brought their hands to his lips "That could've gone worse."

Rhea chuckled and kissed his neck "I do believe you're right ἀγαπητέ."