you with the lion's roar

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12th January 2004

There are bruises on Harry's hips, forming steadily as the night passes by. Possessive prints of his hands in a darkening purple, stark against the peachy cream of her skin. Perspiration has dried up on her chest, leaving a light glisten in its wake.

The evidence of their coupling still lingers between their thighs; Jasper hasn't bothered to move since Harry fell asleep in his arms.

He can still hear her gasping breaths, her pleas and prays for him to keep going, to not stop. She had been so deliciously warm around him, gripping him tight and threatening every last thread of his self control. How she'd panted and moaned, her fingernails digging into his shoulders, hold strong but without the threat of vampiric strength to tear.

He'd felt safe, he does feel safe with Harry, always will. He feels even better being able to hold her in the protective cage of his arms, body moulded to his.

Their legs tangled together, long limbs woven in with the thick blankets that remain unneeded for Jasper but keep Harry warm as she lays beside him. Sweet little puffs of air leave from her nostrils and Jasper times his breaths to the steady rise and fall of her ribcage. One of her hands rests upon his torso, tanned skin against pale marble and it's a wonderful contrast.

Jasper doesn't sleep, doesn't dream, but lying there with his arms fully of a slumbering Harry is absolute perfection anyway, and that will never change.

.

A handful of pictures slap down on the surface of the table, right before Harry's half empty plate, the muffled thump echoing through the kitchen.

"I know witches age slowly, but this is ridiculous. You haven't changed. At all."

Miss Hermione Granger-Weasley folds her arms and while Jasper still hasn't quite forgiven her for leaving Harry alone all those years ago, he has grown to like her. That she spends a fair portion of her time researching Harry's apparent immunity to vampire venom may have something to with it.

Running her words back through his mind, Jasper takes a quick glance at the photographic evidence she has presented them with, inspecting the five year old photograph. Within, Harry and Hermione are sat in a spa, receiving some form of treatment upon their nails as several attendants attempt to tame Hermione's mane. Whereas the brunette's face has grown slimmer, matured with the slightest of laugh lines beginning to show around her eyes -only Jasper's superior gaze can pick up on them at the moment though- Harry's face is...

It's exactly the same.

Golden eyes flicked up to glance at Harry a second time, just to confirm what he's really seeing. But her face doesn't appear to have aged a day, doesn't appear to have changed in the slightest since Jasper met her. It's something he's used to, those in his acquaintance never changing, frozen in a single snapshot of life as the rest of the world continues to grow around them.

Of course he wouldn't notice; every day with Harry is a blessing, but he does not count them, does not wish to end up with a final number of just how many days he has had with the lovely witch that he now calls his wife. Only... only she's unchanged. She doesn't appear to have aged.

Jasper doesn't dare to get his hopes up, not after half a decade of setbacks and inconclusive results. Because Harry's still breathing, she doesn't lust for blood and her body still processes the regular human functions. But she's not changed in the slightest for five years. That, that has to mean something, right?

"I haven't?" Harry repeats dubiously, head cocking to a side as she examines Hermione, as if looking to see if she can find any kind of falsehood in her face. But no, there's nothing there but the honest truth, Jasper can sense it in her emotions. Hermione would never toy with them over this, she wouldn't. But then, what could it possibly mean?

"I stole a bit of your hair for an ageing spell," Hermione admits, digging around in the satchel she has slung over one shoulder, "and this was the result." She hands the paper over to them ever so carefully, chewing on her lip and nervously looking away.

Jasper's eyes are all for the parchment though, for the facts and ignited written upon it. The paper insists that Hariel, as of three days ago, isn't even eighteen years old. The spell places her age as seventeen, the same age she was upon Voldemort's defeat. Right down to the day, actually.

Jasper reads the words through again, still struggling to process all that's before him. What happens that day, for this to be the result? It cannot be about Harry surviving the killing curse, otherwise the spell would surely have taken her age from when she was first hit with it, back when she was nought but an infant. It doesn't make sense.

"I've tried looking into the after effects of the killing curse, but I really don't think we're on the right lines with that," Hermione admits, taking a seat up to the kitchen table and accepting the cup of tea that floats into her hand, "and given the date it's obviously not the vampire venom because this is half a year before you were even exposed to that."

There's quiet once again and Jasper finally realises Harry has said nothing on the subject. His eyes flicked to her, but she's just motionless, gripping the parchment with shaking fingers. There's terror, an incredible amount of shock, with just the slightest glimmer of hope, though she clearly fears that little emotion.

"I... I was looking into the book Professor Dumbledore left me... and it revolved around the legend of the Deathly Hallows... I didn't think much of it at first, but there's said to be truth hidden in tales..." Hermione trails off, obviously not quite sure how to react when Harry is being so quiet.

Taking the initiative, Jasper reaches across to take the brunette's free hand, the most grateful, most genuine smile he's worn for some time upon his lips.

"Thank you, Hermione. We'll start looking into it."

"I just want Harry to be happy."

And maybe Jasper can never forget this woman abandoning his wife in a time of need, but perhaps he can forgive.

.

.

26th January 2004

Their research is a frenzied thing.

Kreacher answers their every command, going above and beyond to retrieve whatever they ask of him. They have seven different versions of the 'Three Brothers' tale, and that's just the English. There's a copy in Old English, one in Latin and another in Gaelic, which neither of them can read and had to bug Hermione about. From there, their search had taken them back to the past, so to speak, looking into Grindelwald's rise, his use of the Hallows' symbol, the tentatively terrifying conclusion that the Dark Lord had once wielded the Elder Wand.

Throughout it all, Harry grows more determined, though there's a lingering hesitance when she looks upon the ring she wear on her finger. She's been running one fingertip over it recently and Jasper recalls the very same symbol they research is carved atop it. Perhaps that ring once belonged to another who believed in this tale, Jasper considers.

Regardless, all their current leads point right to Albus Dumbledore. Dumbledore who is unfortunately dead.

.

This is how Jasper finds himself stood within Hogwarts for the first time in half a decade. Harry has been back already, completing her seventh year of schooling as part-time study, even popping into give lectures on Defence Against the Dark Arts.

As they had walked the corridors today the children had stared at her as they passed, stared at him. There was sweeping intrigue, bubbles of lust and jealously, all kinds of teenage hormones. The little spike of wistfulness as Jasper had tucked Harry beneath his arm was sweet though.

Now, now the find themselves before Dumbledore's portrait, the canvas of coloured oils that holds the answer to all their questions. Jasper learns how the ownership of the Elder Wand is passed down, how Draco Malfoy had won this wand from Dumbledore, back before Jasper had ever been a part of Harry's life. He recalls Malfoy being one of the people Harry stunned when they invaded Hogwarts, and the maths is simple.

From there, it's one plus one plus one; the wand, the stone -the stone that rests upon his wife's finger- and the cloak. The cloak that has been passed throughout Harry's family for generations, the cloak that explains exactly why there was a gravestone with that symbol so near the final resting place of Harry's parents.

"Please Harry, my dear girl, could you not reconsider Severus' posit-"

"No," Harry snaps, cutting the painting off with a scowl, her arms folded beneath her bust as she looks away. "I won't vouch for him. He didn't do it to be good, he did it for my mum. If it'd been Neville and his parents instead, then Snape'd left them. He wouldn't have helped. He did everything in my mum's name, he's not a selfless person and I won't let him think I forgive him for making my life hell, just because of who my dad was."

Harry speaks with complete conviction and Jasper agrees with her. He's heard many things of Severus Snape, and even if he didn't let Harry's opinions of the man taint his viewpoint, Jasper still wouldn't have liked him.

"Harr-"

"No, Headmaster. Do you have anything else to tell me?"

There's a moment of stillness then before finally the aged looking figure sighs within his frame and shakes his head.

"Just that I wish the both of you happiness together."

.

.

2nd March 2004

Edward 'Teddy' Lupin meets Jasper's gaze fearlessly, molten gold v burning bronze. They stare and stare, before finally, the five year old breaks out into a grin.

"Uncle Jasper!"

And then he's in Jasper's arms, his own wrapped tight around Jasper's shoulders.

"Hey kid, it's been a while."

Both he and Harry have spent the past month or so travelling, speaking with different magical species, trying to find out if they have any information at all on just what Harry is. The goblins had been useless, the hags refusing to speak but shying away from Harry more than they did Jasper. It brought back the memory of their meeting with Demetri, whom they still send letters to even now.

Of course they hadn't shared their new lead, not wanting to breath a word of Harry's potential immortality, or at least her inability to age. He does not want word getting back to Aro, who will no doubt attempt to acquire Jasper in order to gain Harry too.

"Too long," Teddy insists, fingers gripping at Jasper's curly blond hair when he lets the child settle on his shoulders, a gentle hold of his thin ankles to keep him steady. As the tallest adult Teddy knows -barring Hagrid who's shoulder's are far too board for this- Jasper always ends up with his godson riding on his shoulders, looking down upon the world he usually has to tilt his head back to see.

"Yeah, too long, Noodle."

"I'm not a noodle!"

"Oh really? Because I don't see any muscle on these limbs," Jasper taunts, wiggling Teddy's legs as he does so. The blue haired boy laughs, reaching out to touch the silver hanging lights that descend from the ceiling, the metalwork of intertwining leaves particularly enchanting.

"I'll be real strong soon! Just you wait!"

Ducking into the kitchen, Jasper approaches the table that the rest of the adults are sat up to, nodding to Remus as he takes a seat and removes Teddy from his shoulders. Right away the boy's hair bleeds red as he crawls into Harry's lap, his dear wife bundling Teddy up into her arms right away.

From there, Jasper turns his attention to Remus and Tonks, sharp ears already picking up on what they've probably come here to tell them. It's hidden reasonably well behind Tonks', but Jasper can hear the tiny little heartbeat loud and clear right now.

"Congratulations," he breathes, Harry perking up beside him.

"You're having another baby?" She gasps, eyes warm and a little smile on her pale lips.

A surge of excitement, of wistful longing batters against Jasper's mentality and it takes a moment to realize the second emotion belongs not only to Harry, but to himself as well.

Looking at Teddy sat in Harry's lap, with her red curls and bronze eyes that could almost match his own, a yearning desire thrums to life in Jasper's chest.

Were he not a vampire, would he and Harry have had children already? If they were a normal couple, not faced with biological issues as they are, would they have a little family of their own right now?

He's never really considered it before, but looking at this woman right now, with the notions of newborns -the infant kind, not the vampire type- and pregnancies and babies rolling around in his head, Jasper realizes there's something else he wants from life.

Realises that- well, not that there's something missing from his life, but that there's something he could want in addition to what he's already got. Perhaps it's greedy, but the desire is there.

He doesn't dare to think on it any longer, instead sitting back in his chair and listening to Harry and Tonks discuss potential baby names and gender, even if it's too early for that to be confirmed yet.

.

As they're lying side by side in bed later that night, Harry resting her head on his arm and her hot palm against his chest, the topic resurfaces.

"Do you want kids, Whitlock?"

"You're a Whitlock too, Darlin'," Jasper whispers, a little smile at the corner of his mouth, even though he doesn't feel like smiling at all. His insides feel cold, acknowledging there's an expectation here, one that he won't be able to meet.

"I know, which is why I'm asking if you want any little Whitlocks running around."

Harry won't give up though, looking up at his with eyes glimmering Amazon green in the night. Toying with the red stands held within his finger tips, Jasper draws they back and forth slowly, wondering if it is worth admitting.

But, he had sworn to honour and cherish Harry, has done so very day since their wedding. He will not lie to her.

"I didn't consider it until today. I would have loved to have children with you."

"Then let's do it." And her expression is so bright, so eager and pleased. So painfully human, which he no longer is.

He cannot provide her with this, he's a vampire and vampires do not have children, they're not capable. As he tries to explain this though, Harry cuts him off, waving her hand as she does so. As she speaks though, anticipation flares through his body and Jasper realizes this year appears to be full of all sorts of hope.

"Whitlock, there's nothing wrong with male vampires; it's the females that're frozen in time, they're the ones that can't have kids. A half vampire would kill the mother if she were muggle. But a witch; there's been a few that've had half vampire children. The mother's magic, and then the kid's suppresses the vampire side until they come of magical age. It's not common, but it's happened before."

His brain is whirling, emotions blooming and intertwining with Harry's. Her insistence on taking contraceptive potions suddenly makes sense now, and Jasper realises just how much he's assumed of his own species. How much more does he not know, how much more does he falsely assume? Most importantly though-

"We can have children," Jasper whispers. It's there in his head, little redheads with his human eyes, whatever colour that'd once been. There's no way their children won't have curls, not when both he and Harry's hair exhibit that trait. Little curled haired cherubs.

"You want to have children?" Harry asks and it's obvious she's very much on board with this, that she just wants to confirm it with him.

Perhaps they should be thinking more about this. Perhaps they should be planning more, perhaps they should be doing other things.

But right then and there, when they've come to realize Harry's not aging, when there's the tentative idea that Harry has become something more than human -something more than a vampire, given her reaction to the venom- it just seems right.

"I want a child with you, Darlin'."

.

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11th June 2006

Bella's blood - blood that smells so sweet to Edward, blood that tempts his family whenever she gets so much as a paper cut- goes cold at the conclusion she forms. The conclusion that all the Cullens have formed.

It's a miracle they've managed to figure out just what is going on, it's only thanks to Demetri that they've managed. Demetri who's Alice's mate. The shortest vampire has been having vision of her mate for years, has known a human would lead her to him.

Bella just wishes it hadn't been Edward's near death that brought them together, wishes it'd have been something less panic inducing.

She's still wary of Demetri, still incredibly cautious. He might have agreed to come and live with the Cullens, only working for the Volturi when they have no other option but to call upon his expertises, but that doesn't mean Bella remains ignorant of his past. This vampire is now the oldest among the Cullen clan, yet the one with the shortest amount of time on animal blood.

His eyes are still red, not the startling ruby that all of the Volturi had showcased, instead they burn a duller crimson that's still nowhere near turning to the near hypnotic gold that the rest of the Cullens showcase.

In the past few months, Bella has been exposed to the truly terrifying side of vampires, so perhaps she should be reconsidering her intentions to turn into one of them.

But she can't.

This is what she wants from life. Now if only she could make Edward see this, everything would be so much easier.

If she were a vampire too, she could help out with this threat instead of having to rely on the Cullens and the Wolves for protection. It stings, bites that she can't seem to do anything, to the point that Bella wants to do nothing more than scream.

As it is, all she can do right now is sit back and listen to the rest of the Cullens trying to talk Demetri into working with the Pack.

Her thoughts fly to Jake and she wonders how he feels about this. Why has he not got tired of all the trouble she brings? Attracting danger all the time, it's something she can't quite turn off.

Though seeing as this magnetism is what appears to have brought Edward to her, Bella can't exactly say she'd have ever wanted it gone.

"We're stronger if we work together," Carlisle states calmly, though Bella can tell the foreign vampire is still trying to process the need to protect the rest of the town at all.

He can understand wanting to save Bella, if only for her connection to Edward and the friendship she shares with Alice. Demetri's relationship with Alice is still new, still just a fledgling, but Bella can tell the former Volturi member is trying, is quite enamoured with the little pixie woman. Demetri's been alive for a long time, so it really shouldn't shock Bella that he's lost a lot of perspective on the value of human life, especially since he's literally been surviving off their life blood until recently.

"I will try."

The unspoken 'for Alice' isn't acknowledged, but they all know it's there.

.

.

12th June 2006

Sitting on the sidelines, watching as Carlisle goes about explaining the dangers of a newborn vampire to the wolves, Bella pulls her legs tighter up to her chest, resting her chin between the knees now close enough to kiss. She can't learn to fight, her weak human body would be no help here.

Why did Edward not accept Aro's words? She cannot imagine not having the option to become a vampire, to have been bitten and remain stubbornly human. To know that there would come a time when she had to leave the love of her life.

Bella cannot picture ever having Edward leave, not again.

For that poor vampire who loves that human, to know they would eventually part; it must be torturous. So why is Edward still so stubborn about her remaining human?

Gritting her teeth, Bella coils a strand of brown hair back behind her ear, watching as Carlisle showcases the weakest points of a vampire using Emmett as his example. The buff male grins in a good-natured fashion and it's so difficult to reconcile this man as the one that attacked her at her birthday party. It seems like a lifetime ago really, so much seems to have happened since then.

"Everything okay, Bella?"

Cocking her head around to look at Alice, the human offers up her best smile, trying not to frown over her thoughts. It's a good thing Edward can't get into her head, otherwise he'd spend far more time upset with her than he already does.

"Just wish there was something I could do to help," she mutters instead, teeth toying with her bottom lip as Alice hums in understanding.

"If I was a vampire-"

"Then we'd be busy making sure your instincts don't end up with someone dead in town. It'd be even more trouble with you actively working against us."

But it wouldn't' be a problem if she'd been turned earlier, Bella thinks.

Alice doesn't notice though, her eyes on Demetri as he showcases the most effective restraining hold on their 'newborn'. Even Bella, who's witnessed so little violence before in her life can tell how easily the recently turned vegetarian could decapitate Emmett like that.

"Don't worry though, we'll al- Incoming!"

Edward's already on his feet, a protective buffer between Bella and whatever is approaching from the east. Alice must have had a vision of something, she realizes, something imminent.

Are the newborns making their move?

Surely Alice would have noticed sooner if so, she's been looking for them with her gift specifically. So what-

A form appears at the edge of the clearing, so still and perfect that he's clearly a vampire.

The wolves snarl, one of them -Paul? Embry?- making to lunge.

But then Demetri is there, right before them but there's no hostility in his gaze.

"Jasper Whitlock."

Oh, he knows this vampire.

Bella looks closer and the tension eases within her, for the male's eyes are a burning gold, rich and warm. His hair falls in loose curls of honeyed blond, windswept and framing a handsome face.

"Demetri. I never expected to see you outside of the Volturi. Sorry I didn't send a letter in advance, but I thought this request was better made in person."

He speaks with a distinctive Southern twang and Bella is reminded once again of how unfairly attractive vampires can be, not just physically either. She hasn't grown use to it, instead each one she meets stuns her over and over again.

"Jasper and his wife are the recipient of the letters I write." Demetri's friend then?

Beside her Alice perks up in obvious interest. Bella's well aware the little vampire has only ever asked after the one that Demetri writes to once; by the foreign vampire's refusal to answer it's clear he considers his correspondent a good friend in need of protection. Though what a vampire like this needs protection for, Bella cannot begin to comprehend.

"Have I caught you at a bad time? I can come back later if you'd like."

"This land is protected by werewolves, this pack here," Edward says, and it's clear he's only translating for Sam, "you are not welcome here."

"You mean Shape-shifters. Real Children of the Moon cannot control their transformation like this."

There's a pregnant pause as everyone looks at Jasper Whitlock, who watches the wolves with curious golden eyes.

"Jasper, we have a problem here," Demetri murmurs, valiantly pushing forwards despite the fact this strange vampire's words have just thrown the pack into a tailspin.

Bella's a bit confused herself. Does that mean the werewolves aren't really werewolves? That there's actual creatures out there that exhibit the same traits as the stereotypical werewolf?

"There's a newborn army-"

At this, the intruder into their clearing visibly recoils, a grimace of disgust upon his face.

"Outside of Mexico?"

"You fought in the Southern Vampire Wars," Edward breathes beside her and instantly captures Bella's attention. There were vampire wars?

The wolves seem just as surprised to hear it, though Demetri and Carlisle's solemn faces are indicator enough that they exist.

"Could you give us some advice on how to deal with newborns. I don't know much of your history with them, but for you to have survived so long in that environment-"

"Is that where those scars come from?"

It's a soft enquiry from Alice, but it still has Jasper Whitlock's jaw clenching.

"You can't see it," Edward whispers ever so softly beside her, "but he's covered in scars, all on top of each other. He's been in more fights than I can comprehend."

Edward is nervous.

Bella has never know her boyfriend to react like this, not even when they were facing James and Victoria. Edward can read minds, but in the face of someone with real battle experience, who's been in wars and has enough scars that even Emmett looks cautious…

Bella worries her lip back and forth as the vampire meets her eyes.

"Don't worry, Ma'am. I'm very much against hurting humans."

"Of course. How is Hariel?"

Demetri's abrupt shift in topic makes absolutely no sense and Bella furrows her brows, trying to figure out the connection. It is only Edward's harsh breath beside her, an action of surprise that he cannot contain, that lets Bella know there's even a connection to be made.

"She's well, thank you. We've managed a year and a half without anything significantly life threatening so far."

She'd thought his eyes warm before but now, as Bella watches Jasper Whitlock speak of this 'Hariel', his every action beforehand seems cold. It's obvious he's in love and that has Bella's heart swelling at the very sight.

How lovely. But what could possibly be life threatening to a vampire?

.

The Quileute Wolves aren't happy about it, but Carlisle invites Jasper Whitlock to stay with them for the duration of his stay.

Bella knows of Demetri's talent when it comes to finding others and it appears Demetri's friend is aware too; it's the very reason he sought the vampire out after all. In exchange for a place to stay, Jasper has agreed to share his expertise on newborns and effectively fighting them.

Now that he's closer -as close as Edward will allow him anyhow- and now that it's been pointed out to her, Bella can indeed see the network of scars that lace across his skin. It's only when the light of the car's headlights hit them just right, but they're there, and they're numerous.

"I'm afraid I'm not travelling alone, does this offer of hospitality extend to my company, sir?" Jasper cocks his head towards Carlisle and Bella can hear the undercurrent. That Jasper will not remain unless his company are also welcome.

"Are they dangerous?"

"Only to herself," Demetri huffs beneath his breath, a small smirk in his face when Jasper frowns in response.

"Unfortunately accurate."

"Then yes, of course your companion are welcome, Jasper."

.

Jasper Whitlock leaves them to fetch his company an Esme prepares the guest room with obvious enthusiasm.

Bella watches the group of vampires ready themselves for guests and finds she's not quite sure how to feel about this. Demetri clearly considers these two to be friends, for he sits in the corner whispering to Alice, a comforting sensation of contentment lazily drifting from him.

Rosalie on the other hand appears very much against the new arrivals, even if they are not permanent guests. She's only just taken to Demetri and even that's only because he's Alice's mate.

This feels like a bomb about to go off, and Bella has no idea who's going to be caught in the explosion.

"Heartbeats?" Alice suddenly questions, which has every single vampire in the room freezing, seemingly cocking their heads to a side as one in order to better listen.

Bella doesn't even try, well aware her inferior human hearing will fail her as always when compared against her company.

"Ah, Jasper. We were, unaware of your company's status."

"You mean that I'm not a vampire?"

Bella's never heard that accent outside of a movie, but she's informed enough to recognise an English accent. Carlisle walks into the hallway, Jasper Whitlock following after him.

Unlike before he's the epitome of tension. His shoulders are stiff even as his limbs are loose. It reminds Bella of a territorial lion, ready to fight off anything that threatens his way of life. The figure behind him explains exactly why he's so high strung.

Significantly smaller than the blond vampire, a red haired woman follows after him. She's pretty, but it's in a human way, there's a flush of colour to her cheeks that no vampire would manage; suddenly Bella knows exactly who these two are.

It's the couple Aro spoke of, the woman who's body rejected the vampire venom, who couldn't be turned.

Her stomach flips uncomfortably.

"Tell me that is not an immortal child." Rosalie' horrified snarl breaks Bella from her observations and her eyes lock onto the small infant that red head carries.

He's beautiful, more so than his mother but not quite the same inhuman level of loveliness that Jasper Whitlock possesses. And it's obvious they're the parents; the boy's hair falls in the same honey curls and his eyes gleam the same brilliant green as his mother.

"He's not and the Volturi are well aware of his existence, Ma'am," snaps Jasper, bodily placing himself between his child -and his wife?- and the rest of them.

Stepping forwards to address the trio, Demetri smiles and certifies her assumption of just who these two are, "Hariel Potter, you are as human as when the venom last failed to claim you."

The red haired woman, Hariel Potter, smiles warmly, making her way around Jasper and handing off the boy to him as she goes.

"Demetri. Nice to see you outside the lair."

She offers her hand and the former Volturi takes it, laying a gentle kiss upon the back of her palm.

"And you're company?" Demetri asks, crimson eyes sliding over to look at the young boy who stares back with curious vivid green.

"I'm James!" The boy slurs, chubby little cheeks lifting into a wide beaming smile and Bella feels her heart melt.

.

.

He doesn't feel comfortable in the slightest, sitting down and going through the motions of greeting others. He doesn't feel comfortable unable to defend his little family within a split second; it'd take him that long to remove Harry and James from his lap. But he's wearing a portkey, all three of them are, and they'd be gone the second truly hostile intentions flared.

That doesn't mean Jasper isn't tense though.

Resting between his legs with her own stretched out across the plush sofa, Harry wiggles her fingers before James' eyes, love and devotion smeared across her face as he babbles back in response.

It's been a seventeen months, seventeen months and twenty two days, but little James Sirius is still their little miracle. Jasper doesn't regret it for a second. He's not like he imagined, he's so much better.

Think head of curly blond hair that glimmers a faint strawberry in the sunlight, the same green eyes that his wife looks to him with, gorgeous peachy skin and a cute button nose.

He's the most beautiful thing Jasper has ever seen.

"And he grows like a human baby?" Alice Cullen, Demetri's mate, enquiries, big golden eyes wide as she stares down at his son.

"He is human, my genetics account for that," Harry explains, hiding her face behind her hands in a simple game of peek-a-boo that has James in hysterics, "Jasper's side won't come out until his seventeenth. I'm not exactly a regular human, after all."

"I never knew witches existed, until Demetri told me," Alice whispers, all but squealing when James turns his gaze to her and gives a big, gummy grin.

Jasper's fingers have been in the kid's mouth more times than he cares to count; the vampiric cool skin and inability to actually suffer injury from an infant's bite makes him the ideal teething toy apparently.

He knows the other Cullens are wary of him, he knows how he appears. Covered in scars, screaming danger, and rightfully defensive of his little family. He's sensed the female blonde's longing and his heart goes out to her, it truly does. But after their dealing with the Volturi last week, he's not in much of a rush to allow so many others close to his son.

On the plus side, they now know that Harry's tentatively labelled 'Master of Death side' terrifies them as much as it did Demetri and he.

"I didn't realise how many vampires were out there," Harry retorts, snuggling James close to her chest when their son makes the wordless demand with his grasping fingers.

Still quite unable to believe he has this right here, Jasper curls his arms around Harry, pressing his face to her hair and inhaling the warm scent carried within. His wife, the love of his immortal life, the mother of his miracle child.

His gaze finds the other human present, involuntary an action as it is, and Jasper feels his still heart clench. He knows what it's like, loving someone so breakable, someone you can lose so easily. While Harry doesn't appear to be in danger of dying anytime soon, it is not invincibility that she has been granted. Instead her body heals, resurrects itself.

They found that out after she'd been hit by a muggle's car.

That was the first time Jasper almost killed a man in five years, and it wasn't even for his blood.

"I want to help them," Jasper whispers to Harry, fingers stroking up the length of her arm as she lays James against her chest.

Harry hums, her hand dipping into the extended pocket of her jeans, where her wand rests. Soon enough they're enclosed within a bubble of silence, the noise around them muffled and their own words mute to those not involved.

"I won't ask you not to," Harry muses, "it's what you do, protect people. I wouldn't have met you if weren't like that. But please, please be safe. And let me set up some magical protections."

She does worry, his gorgeous little wife.

"Of course, Darlin'.

.

.

Perhaps she's in a state of shock, Bella thinks.

When Jasper and Hariel, the two Whitlocks, had approached with the offer of help against the oncoming attacks, Bella had known exactly what the rest of the Cullens were thinking. She'd been thinking it too, after all.

Because out of Jasper and Hariel, it is quite clear exactly who would be the most help in a fight.

Only, only that's not true at all.

The traps Hariel had set up had crashed half the newborns before they'd even arrived, startling both vampire and werewolf -shapeshifter?- with the sheer efficiency.

Watching Jasper move between the vampires, tearing into them as they attempted to approach Hariel, it'd been poetry in motion, it really had. He'd been so fiercely protective, blocking blows and tearing off heads, all the while his delicate little wife glowed with a power that put the fear of god in Bella.

Not just in Bella either, everyone had been eying her in poorly hidden terror. She'd been powerful though, strong and fearless and very capable of protecting her loved ones. Everything Bella wished she could be, everything she aspires to be.

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Now as they gather in the aftermath of battle, the only newborn that remains having been long since paralysed by Hariel's magic, Bella watches the only other vampire/human couple in existence.

They've fought together more than once, it's obvious in the tried and tested method through which they check each other over. Jasper's fingers brush across her pulse points, kiss at the edge of a sharp jawline as he takes a gentle hold of her skull.

Hariel's own fingers trace along his collarbones, perhaps she can see the scars that decorate his skin so close.

There's so much love there Bella doesn't need a magical power to sense it.

It's watching these two when she realise that, no matter what happens in her future with Edward, no matter if she stays human or if she's turned into a vampire, that love can account for and embrace any obstacle.

She only needs look at these two to accept that as the truth.

I tired uploading this last night, but doesn't like me uploading more than 3,000 words via ipod. So here we are in the morning the chapter done and dusted and this little two-shot finished off. There was going to be a bit more with a Harry POV rounding it all off, but when I started writing it, it just didn't seem to fit, which is why I've left things as they are I guess. There were enough jumps between POV's with Bella and Jasper, I didn't want to add one more into the confusion, and for some reason I write Jasper POV far better than my attempt at Harry's. Hence, this is where we stop. For now?

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I'm thinking about maybe doing a little sequel with snapshots of Whitlock family life, so if you want to see that, review and let me know? (As well as a particular scene you'd like to see if there is one) and if it happens, keep an eye out for a title of 'you wear the lion's name'. If you're happy with things as they are; review anyway to tell me?

There's a poll up regarding stories you'd like to see too.

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In other news, I have an interview on the 16th for a Postgrad course in Teaching, the course I want to do so badly, so wish me luck?

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Merry Christmas lovelies,

Tsume

xxx