Marrisa and Jane waited in the middle of the road while one of the young wolves went to fetch her daughter. Jane was glancing around uncomfortably, Marrisa noticed.

"Why are you worried?" Marrisa asked.

"We thought all werewolves were dead," Jane said.

"Well, these aren't really werewolves. Not like Children of the Moon," Marrisa said; Jane flinched at the name. "They're shapeshifters."

"How do you know of... real werewolves?"

"I've met a few. Good people, moody creatures," Marrisa grinned.

Jane smiled slightly, Marrisa's personality was refreshing. She suddenly smelled a waft of wet dog, her nose scrunching up.

Paul, Sam, Seth and Melody walked out of the tree line.

"Be nice," Marrisa muttered to Jane and stepped forward. "Melody Andie Whitlock. Come here."

Melody kept her eyes down, avoiding eye contact with her mother and walked to her. Marrisa crossed her arms and waited. Melody glanced up quickly.

"Um, hi?" Melody breathed.

"Why did you disobey your father?"

Melody frowned. "I just really wanted to meet Paul."

"You quite literally disappeared from his sight. More than once, Melody," Marrisa scolded.

"I'm sorry," Melody sighed.

Marrisa glanced at Paul, who looked quite furious.

"I'm guessing your Paul?"

Paul nodded curtly. "Why did you bring the leech?"

Jane bared her teeth and hissed. Paul snarled back.

"Both of you shut up," Marrisa snapped, rolling her eyes.

Jane and Paul stopped, but still glared at each other.

"I understand that you imprinted on my daughter."

"Yes," Paul replied.

"Yes, what?" Marrisa asked.

Paul crossed his arms. "Yes, ma'am."

Marrisa smiled. "That's better. Now, I'm not necessarily thrilled about it. However, I'm more accepting than her father. I will allow this relationship to continue. But, Paul. I must warn you. If my daughter gets hurt because you can't control your anger, I will rip you apart slowly while your pack watches. Is that understood?"

"Yes, ma'am," Paul shuddered.

Marrisa spun on her heel, gesturing for her daughter and Jane to follow. Jane wore a smug grin on her face; she enjoyed Marrisa's threats.

The three women got into the car, Melody was quite curious about the other vampire.

"So, mom?" Melody asked.

Marrisa looked to her daughter in the back seat; she was staring ahead towards Jane. Marrisa smiled. She started to drive home.

"Jane, I'd like you to meet my daughter. Melody."

Jane turned, making eye contact with Melody. "Pleasure to meet you, Melody," she greeted gently.

"Hello, Jane," Melody said cautiously. She looked to her mother. "Why is she with you? Isn't she a part of the Volturi?"

Jane glanced at Marrisa; worrisome.

Marrisa sighed. "Melody, please be nice. I have brought her as a guest. We will all discuss further when the entire family is together."

Melody hesitated, then an apologetic smile crossed her lips. "Okay, mom. I'm sorry, Jane, for being rude."

Jane smiled in relief. "Don't worry, little one. I understand."

The family meeting was tense and uncomfortable. Yelling ensued, growls vibrated in the vampires' chests, and a few curses were thrown. Poor Esme had had enough.

"That is enough!" Esme barked. Such an angry sound had never came out of the beautiful mother figure, and everyone had shut the hell up immediately.

"I don't care who is here, my children will not behave this way. Marrisa is trustworthy. If she says that Jane is no longer a threat, then I believe her!" Esme had made sure to look at everyone in the eyes as she continued to scold. "Jane has done nothing to show that she is being deceitful. Edward, you can read her mind, for God's sake! Has she been thinking anything that shows any deceit?"

Edward didn't immediately answer. His brows furrowed every so slightly.

"Answer me!" Esme demanded.

"No, ma'am," Edward jumped. Even Bella jumped.

"Alice?" Esme turned to her other daughter.

"No, ma'am," Alice sighed.

Esme was quiet for a human heartbeat.

"Now, I want everyone to take a breather. Take a walk, go hunt, something! We will continue this when everyone is ready to be civil, is that understood?"

"Yes, ma'am," everyone chimed in.

"Don't make me do this again, I don't like my voice like this!"

Everyone left the house with haste, not wanting to feel the wrath of Esme any longer.

Marrisa wandered about in the forest a ways from the house, Jasper appeared beside her.

"I don't think I've seen her so flustered before," he commented.

"I was kind of hoping she'd hit someone," Marrisa smiled.

Jasper chuckled, taking his wife's hand. He gazed above them at the night sky. The stars littered the midnight canvas, the moon was waning gibbous. The soft light glinting beautifully off of Jasper's skin. Marrisa could tell that he was deep in thought.

"Penny for your thoughts," she smiled, nudging him.

Jasper smiled and looked down to her. He took both her hands in his, facing her. He eyes bore into hers, looking into her soul.

"I can not begin to describe how utterly elated I am that you've come back to me," he breathed; his voice held intensity.

Marrisa knitted her brows together. Why the suddenness?

"Marrisa..." he breathed again, gently stroking her face with the back of his knuckles. "I had given up on finding my mate. I truly believed that I was destined to be alone. I had forgotten about you. When I turned, I barely remembered anything about my human life. But that day... When I saw you with Bella. It felt like I was seeing you for the first time. The second I saw you, it all came back.

"I remembered that day in the café, I remember paying for your coffee, I remembered us spending time together every single day for two weeks." Jasper grinned, gazing into her eyes. "I remember chasing you down, hoping- praying- that I could catch you before you got on that train. I remember you meeting my parents, I remember our wedding day. Everything is as clear as a bell. Nothing is blurry. You... you helped me remember my human life. And to be honest, I'm terrified that this is all a dream. I'm terrified that I'm going to wake up one day, with my wife and daughter just a distant memory."

Marrisa was silent for a moment. She clung to the words that Jasper said. This does feel like a beautiful dream, she admitted to herself. But she knew it wasn't. She knew with every fiber of her being, with her soul, that this was real. She placed a hand on his chest, where his heart should be beating.

"Jasper Andrew Whitlock, this is not a dream. But, I'm not going to tell you that you won't ever lose us, 'cause I have no idea what's going to happen. Aro is livid with me. Knowing him, he'll do everything in his power to kill me. And if he ever found out about Melody," Marrisa looked down, dreading that thought. "I know I can't stay dead, but the thought of it..."

Jasper wrapped his arms around her, sending peaceful waves that seemed to blanket around both of them. Marrisa felt the need to look to her right, so she did. She noticed Jane standing there alone, staring at the sky. Marrisa wriggled from Jasper's arms.

"I'll go hunt," he breathed. "I'll be back in a few hours."

He placed his lips to hers, then disappeared.

Marrisa walked over to Jane, standing next to her. Marrisa could tell that she was deep in thought, making confused faces.

"You're making faces," Marrisa smiled.

Jane looked to her, smiling sheepishly. "Just lost in thought."

"What are you thinking about?"

Jane looked behind her in the direction of the Cullen home. "I've never had someone stand up for me like that."

"What about Alec?" Marrisa asked.

"Not even him," Jane scoffed.

Marrisa's eyebrows knitted together. Why wouldn't her only brother try and protect his sister?

"I understand your confusion. He did protect me to an extent, but not when I really needed it."

"Tell me," Marrisa coaxed softly.

Jane sighed, looking Marrisa in the eyes. It was then that Marrisa truly saw a scared little girl. Jane was changed at a very young age, her behavior and demeanor was that of an ancient vampire. But physically? She was just a child.

"Aro uses me, and not just for my power."

Marrisa immediately knew what she meant, but Jane continued to speak.

"He uses me for sex. And not just for regular missionary... so many more awful things. A lot of the time, it's sexual torture." Jane avoided Marrisa's eyes now. "At first, Alec did what he could. He would convince Aro to let me be for a while. And when he couldn't, he'd be down the hall, trying his best to take away my senses. So that I didnt have to feel what was happening to me.

"Then, Aro convinced Alec that it was loyalty. I wasn't loyal if I didn't want to have sex with Aro. So, Alec let it happen. After a couple centuries... he..." Jane closed her eyes, willing herself to be strong.

"After a couple of centuries, Alec started to join in. And he was so much worse," Jane finished in a whisper.

Marrisa was stunned into silence. How could they? Her own brother? She was angry. She could feel her curse stirring inside her, begging to be let free to finish off what was left in the Volterra Castle. A low hum emitted from the ground, cracking slightly. Marrisa calmed herself. Then she took hold of Jane's hand.

"Jane," Marrisa called softly. Jane still refused to meet her eyes.

"Look at me," she said again.

Jane reluctantly looked into Marrisa's eyes. Jane's red eyes shone in the night, tears welled up.

"What they did is wrong, do you hear me? That is not loyalty. That is incest and statutory rape. No one should have to endure that." Marrisa growled.

Jane looked astonished. It still felt strange to her that a human would sympathize with her.

"And... I'm so very proud of you."

"Why?" Jane squeaked out.

"Because, Jane," Marrisa smiled gently. "You survived."