Green & Gold

January 25, 2003

It was a quiet ride to school. Jasper sat in the back, behind Edward, and ignored Rosalie and Emmett in the seat next to his. They were staring in each other’s eyes, so desperately, perfectly, disgustingly in love.

And Jasper was not envious because that would be absurd.

He was simply irritated by their oblivion as the rest of the occupants of the car were on a sharp edge. Edward hadn’t killed the Swan girl yesterday, who admittedly did smell terribly good, despite her supposedly being his singer.

Carlisle had explained that a ‘singer’ is someone whose blood sings out to a vampire. Their blood is a perfect match to the vampires most inner and deepest appetite. Jasper had encountered two humans in his past whose blood had called out so clearly and loudly to him, smelling so warm, so delicious, that the first ones blood had been half gone before they even knew they were no longer in a fuel station. He had struggled the second time, the human’s fear churning his gut with guilt, but in the end they were dead as well.

If Bella Swan was a fabled singer to Edward, then Jasper considered her incredibly lucky to be alive.

Though, Edward was not doing well.

His emotions were erratic; fluctuating from fearful to anxious to a sense of hunger so closely mixed with lust that it was making Jasper himself feel hungry.

“Sorry.” Edward sighed, apparently having read Jasper’s thought, and frowned in the rearview mirror. “I’m- I- it’s hard,” he admitted.

“You’re doing great,” Alice immediately said. She put a soft hand on Edwards arm and smiled at him. “Watch- today looks fine.”

“Today,” Edward said. “But tomorrow? The next? Until we graduate? I shouldn’t keep putting her at risk, I should just leave.”

“Or kill her,” Emmett said nonchalantly.

“No.” Jasper and Edward (protective.) both snarled at their brothers suggestion. Jasper didn’t care for the girl, she was a dull human whose mind couldn’t be read and whose blood smelled too good, but they would have to leave if Edward killed her. Not right away of course, that would be suspicious, but much sooner than they were currently planning on.

Jasper tried to catch Edward’s eyes in the mirror again, curious about this sudden surge of protective emotions he had, but Edward was steadfastly avoiding him.

“I’m not killing her,” Edward said calmly now. “She deserves to live.”

“Whatever.” Emmett shrugged and went back to gazing adoringly at Rosalie.

The other three lapsed back to their tense silence. Only now, there was an interesting flavor of mystery to it for Jasper, because in those ever changing emotions coming from Edward, was concern, care, and protection.

Interesting.

They pulled up in the parking lot next to the extravagant red sports car that Harry drove and piled out. Rosalie and Emmett went straight inside, both disliking the cold flakes of snow that fell to the ice covered ground. Jasper waited for Harry to finish listening to whatever terrible song he had on his car radio, Linkin Park only being minutely more bearable than Nickleback in Jasper’s opinion. He had no idea why Edward and Alice were waiting, thought they both had thoughtful and anxious emotions.

Jasper smiled when Harry got out and immediately slid a little on the ground.

“Careful,” he murmured, offering out a steady hand. He’d meant to have his arm out for Harry to grab on to if he fell, but the always surprising wizard just grasped his hand with his own and smiled sheepishly up at him.

“At my old school we had snow on the lawns, but never ice. I nearly slid right in to a tree on my way here,” he said.

“There’s going to be ice on the roads for the next three days,” Alice said. She was leaning against the Volvo next to Edward and shamelessly eavesdropping.

“Rose probably won’t want to repair my baby twice,” Harry patted his car hood fondly with a small frown.

“I’ll drive you, if you’d like?” Jasper offered. “I have a perfect record when it comes to auto accidents.”

Harry laughed and his hand seemed to involuntarily squeeze Jasper’s as he agreed. “Alright then, thanks Jazz.”

Jasper tried not to preen, truly he did, but he was standing here, hand-clasped with Harry, while Harry smiled up at him and called him ‘Jazz’.

He was preening. But mostly internally.

Mostly.

The four of them looked up as Bella Swan’s ancient, and loud, truck caught their attention. The girl was driving comically slow through the parking lot. Apparently fearful of the ice despite the silver snow chains on her tires.

“Do you want to go inside or can I say hi first?” Harry murmured. Jasper felt a swell of appreciation as he looked down at Harry’s solemn face. Harry wanted to say hello to someone he apparently considered a friend, but knew that her presence made Jasper uncomfortable.

“I’ll manage,” Jasper assured him. Harry leaned back on his car hood, waiting for Bella Swan to finish inspecting the chains on her tire with her tenderly sentimental emotions.

Jasper smiled, content to stand beside Harry with their hands still held together. He wondered if Harry noticed their hands were still interlocked or if it was an absent gesture? He wondered if it meant anything to him? He wondered if-

“NO!” Alice gasped aloud.

Jasper and Harry both spun around, Jasper much more quickly of course, to see Alice’s eyes fill with horror (fear. concern.) and her mouth popped open in a perfect O.

Jasper sparsely had time to ask ‘what?’ before Edward was moving, racing across the lot to Bella (lust. concern. protection.)-

Harry let go of Jasper’s hand to pull his wand- (protective. guilt. anger.)-

And Jasper saw where the real danger was.

He quickly grabbed Harry, lifting him easily by the waist with one arm, and had him a safe distance away from the exact spot where Jasper tracked the trajectory of the quickly spinning and speeding van now in the parking lot was going to hit.

Barely half of a second had passed, and yet Jasper’s perfect sense of contentment was ruined. Because with a sickening metal on rock noise, Edward stopped the incoming van from striking Bella Swan.

The next half of a second is all it took for Jasper to piece together what just happened. The van had been skidding out of control, a direct 4 ton missile aimed at the human girl. Alice must have seen it colliding with her, Edward watching through her thoughts. Then Edward ran, really ran, across the parking lot in a blur to keep her from being hit. Harry saw Edward run and instinctively drew his wand, intent on protecting the human from the blood-crazed vampire. Edward likely saved the Swan girls life-

And ruined the rest of theirs.

“Rosalie, Emmett, hurry.” Jasper spoke quietly, only Harry beside him being able to hear him in the parking lot above the screams of startled students. He knew his other siblings would hear him, would understand the urgency. He looked down at Harry, to reassure himself of his safety, and became aware that Harry (panic. fear. guilt. anxiety.) was physically safe, but pale and trembling.

“I can have you away from the noise in less than a second,” he murmured. Harry didn’t speak, he simply jerked his head in the semblance of a nod, enough consent for Jasper.

“Take care of this,” Jasper hissed at Alice, knowing she would hear him and see the anger in his voice. He gripped Harry (PANIC.PANIC.PANIC.PANIC.PANIC.) tightly and drug him backwards slowly until they were far enough away, and no where near the focus of the still screaming students, and then he ran.

By the time Jasper sat Harry down on a snowy tree trunk that was lying across the ground in the woods behind the school, it had been a mere five seconds since Alice’s gasp triggered the events that followed. Jasper couldn’t hear what was happening, if the screams of fear were from the crash or the vampire amongst them, as the woods muffled the sounds. The lack of information regarding his own fate was frustrating, but he had more immediate worries to consider.

Jasper didn’t know if the Swan girl had been hurt, or even killed. He didn’t know who all had seen Edward’s blatantly supernatural sprint to try and save her. He didn’t know how much longer they would stay in Forks, thought he suspected it would be a miracle if they made it to nightfall. All he knew was that Harry was wide-eyed, staring unseeingly at the woods that surrounded them. His face was drained of any color, his hand that was not in a white-knuckled grasp on his wand was shaking profusely.

“You are panicking.” Jasper said dumbly. In his defense- Harry’s rising panic was driving Jasper’s panic up as well and making it incredibly difficult to think. “Can I calm you down? Just- make you feel peaceful?”

Harry buried his face in his palms, took three deep, shuddering, breaths and shook his head.

“I lied,” Jasper blurted. He tried to think of anything that would break through Harry’s panic and soothe his smothering emotions. He didn’t know why, but as he searched his mind for something to say, this story just popped in his mind, “I don’t have a perfect record with automobiles. In 1919 I was in Mexico and a US tank was debuting in Texas. I used to be a soldier in the Confederate Army so I heard about it and was curious. I went to the unveiling on the Fort Bliss Army base. I had to fight the urge not to attack anyone until it got dark. I killed one of the guards that night, stole the tank, and I accidentally drove it in to the building. Ruined it. It... It’s my only auto accident.”

Harry snorted. It was weak, but it was definitely a small snort. His emotions were still panic-driven, but there was the smallest bit of amusement in there as well. Along with a heartening bit of affection.

“Would you like me to go rob a nearby house for a bottle of water?” Jasper offered only partially joking. Actually, not joking at all. If Harry said yes then that’s exactly what he would do.

“No, I’m fine.” Harry took a slow breath, drawing it in and blowing it out with exaggeration as he rubbed his face aggressively beneath his glasses. “Fine.” He lifted his head up and nodded at Jasper, as if trying to force Jasper to accept his ‘fine-ness’. It didn’t take an empath to realize he was not ‘fine’. Harry’s face was still pale, and his hand trembling, but his eyes were focused now. No longer sightless, but squinting at Jasper. “Sorry. Suppose we should get back?”

Jasper moved immediately back to Harry’s side as he stood, not to coddle him, but to steady him. “We might as well go back to my house, if you’d like? I imagine that there will be suspicion on our family no matter if I skip classes or not. The others may already be there.”

“Alright then.” Harry (nervous. embarrassed. anxious. angry.) put his wand in his sweater pocket and wiped his palms on his jeans. “I’m a little fuzzy on what happened, you leeches move too quick for me,” he forced a mirthless half-grin at the now term of endearment he used for Jasper. “What happened?” Harry glanced down at Jasper’s hand, and his own twitched before (embarrassment. shame. guilt.) he shoved his hands in his pockets.

Jasper easily gestured towards the pathway back to the school for them to walk as he explained. “The blue van was headed right for Bella Swan. I believe Alice saw what was going to happen and Edward saw it through her thoughts. Edward decided to intervene and exposed himself to Bella. If she’s not dead, she knows Edward just moved the length of the parking lot in a fifth of a second.”

Harry stumbled over a tree root, Jasper automatically grasped his elbow to keep him from falling. Harry’s horrified face looked up at Jasper. “I- I didn’t even realize. I saw him move and I thought he was going to kill her. I didn’t even think... So she knows?”

“If she survived-“ Jasper cocked his ear towards the school and the lack of any noticeable sobbing strengthened this belief. “-then yes. She knows.”

“Dang.” Harry’s hands remained firmly in his pockets, but he never shook off Jasper’s hand on his elbow either. They walked back to the school silently, both stuck in their own thoughts.

“Daaang,” Harry repeated once they broke through the woods and saw the state of the parking lot. There was a police cruiser, a fire truck, and a tow truck all blocking most of the lanes as they loaded the demolished minivan up to be taken away. Jasper inhaled through his nose carefully, and relaxed as there was no scent of blood recently spilled.

“Bella did not get injured, and it looks like the others are still here,” Jasper pointed out the silver volvo. If his siblings were still here, playing their parts, there must be some small shred of hope that they could stay. Though Jasper had no idea how they would manage that if Bella Swan saw Edward run. “Shall we attend classes as responsible students or claim emotional trauma at the sight of the accident and go home?” he asked Harry.

“I am feeling extremely traumatized,” Harry said, a jest that fell rather flat in light of his prior panic. “Should we take my car or do you wanna drive a fire truck in to a building too?”

“I was saving that for our first date,” Jasper drawled smoothly, covering Harry’s renewed embarrassment. “But if it would impress an adrenaline junkie such as yourself, I’d be more than happy to wreck a fire truck.”

Harry laughed, his cheeks turning a shade of pink that was thankfully too oddly scented to bother Jasper. “Well I’d hate to ruin our first date,” he said with mock solemnity. “Suppose we’ll take my car then.”

Harry tossed the keys to Jasper, who caught them easily and they carefully maneuvered the car out on to the highway. Harry’s emotions seemed to lighten with every mile they drove, to the point where he kicked on the radio and hummed along with a song.

“You have the worst taste in music,” Jasper told him. “Just... just terrible Harry.”

Harry wasn’t offended and he just chuckled. “Wait until you hear the Weird Sisters. I had to dance to them at a ball when I was fourteen, it was terrible.”

“Oh?” Jasper raised an interested brow at this tidbit of a story from Harry’s past. “What kind of ball?”

“The Yule Ball, my school had it. I invited this girl last minute, Parvati Patil, and she didn’t talk to me for nearly four months afterwards.”

Jasper laughed at that, Harry’s fond amusement rubbing off on him. “What made you choose Miss Patil to invite?”

“She was the only one available,” Harry deadpanned. “Her sister Padma went with Ron. Parvati and I danced one song, then we ignored them until some other blokes asked them to dance. Oh! Wait! I forgot that the night ended with Ron screaming at Hermione for going with this other bloke. He was jealous as hell and Padma saw the whole thing. I’m telling you, those girls might still be telling people about the worst dates of their lives.”

“Was if your worst date as well?” he asked curiously after he quit laughing at the image Harry painted.

“Nope. Fifth year I went to this terrible tea shop with this girl I liked, Cho, and she spent the whole time crying. Then I ended the date early to go meet up with Hermione.”

“What?” Jasper laughed again, truly Harry sounded as if he were terrible with the fairer sex. “Why was Cho crying the whole time?”

“Her boyfriend died the spring before,” Harry said haltingly (grief. guilt. fear. pain.).

“I’ve never been on a date,” Jasper admitted quickly. “I referred to Alice as my girlfriend for a while, but it was the single most uncomfortable decade of my life.”

“Yeah?” Harry looked over at him and raised his brows. “Dating pool a bit small for vampires?” he joked.

“You have no idea,” he said drily. To find someone who didn’t smell like human blood or consume it? The options were exceedingly slim.

Before Harry of course.

They arrived at Jasper’s home and he was relieved to see that they were alone. Surely if Bella Swan was regaling tales of a teenager with supernatural speed that the others would be rushing home to pack?

“I’m going to call Carlisle, make yourself at home. Rosalie bought groceries.” Harry nodded and made his way to the kitchen, now just as at ease there as he was within his own home. Jasper remained in the living room to call Carlisle.

“Hello?”

“Carlisle, have you heard from the others?” Jasper spoke in a low and quick tone, too used to disguising his calls to break the habit in his home.

“Isabella Swan is here, a concussion. No other injuries and no other witnesses,” Carlisle said just as quickly, apparently already up to date on the situation they now faced. “Edward said there was no suspicion in any student there.”

“Except her,” Jasper pointed out.

“Except her,” Carlisle agreed. “I’m leaving early today. We will discuss it as a family at 3.”

Jasper agreed and ended the call. He slowly walked towards the kitchen, his speed weighed down with the thought of what must happen now.

They could flee. Simply disappear before Bella Swan could spread tales about them. Most wouldn’t believe her, but a few would. A few would become suspicious- and any suspicion put them at risk.

Or Bella Swan could be silenced. It didn’t have to be gruesome. There were occasional severe complications from concussions. She could return home tonight and slip away in her sleep.

There were no other options. No choices.

And Jasper relished neither.

“That bad?” Harry perceptively read Jasper’s mood as he joined him at the prop of a dining table. It used to be only used for family meetings, bringing an element of civility to the often heated arguments. Now it was occasionally used for Harry to eat at, or for him and Edward to throw textbooks and papers across as they studied.

“It’s certainly not good,” Jasper said with a blitheness that he didn’t feel. “We’re going to discuss it at three.”

“Er...” Harry glanced at his wristwatch; it was hardly nine am. “I can leave before then. I mean- I can leave now if you want?”

Jasper considered for a split second, then realized that Harry was a welcome addition to their family and nobody would reject his presence.

“No, you should stay,” Jasper told him. “Someone will have to calm down Rosalie.”

Harry chuckled, believing Jasper to be joking.

Which he absolutely was not.

When the others returned- Jasper felt the FURY coming from the volvo before he heard it hit their driveway.

“It’s going to get ugly,” he warned Harry. “Last chance to save yourself.”

“Piss off,” Harry rolled his eyes.

“Carlisle home yet?” Rosalie stormed inside and glared at Jasper, uncharacteristically ignoring Harry in her fury.

“Not yet.”

“I’ll be outside until he is.”

Jasper nodded as Rosalie went directly out the back door, Emmett following behind with an apologetic wave to Harry. Only Edward (guilt. anger. concern.) and Alice (confusion. curiosity.) came to sit at the table, both still as stone and expressions perfectly blank. Harry raised a brow as a question at Jasper who just flipped his hand over. He didn’t know what was going on in their minds, only their emotions, and nobody seemed willing to speak until Carlisle returned.

As soon as Carlisle, Esme solemn at his side, the others returned and they all fell in to their places. Carlisle sat at the head of the table, Esme on one side and Edward on the other. Rosalie moved to the other side of the table, taking the seat directly across from Carlisle, drawing the obvious line of dissension. Emmett sat beside her, and Jasper slid down to her side as well. Harry furrowed his brows, glancing between the two ends of the table for a moment before he moved to Jasper’s side. Alice remained in her seat on Carlisle’s side of the table, though if that was on purpose or not was debatable as it looked as if she were locked on the future rather than the present.

Everyone’s expression was grim, the emotions a various mixture, yet all strong.

Edward cleared his throat and began first, “I’m sorry,” he said, making eye contact with each of his siblings. “I didn’t mean to put any of you at risk. It was thoughtless, and I take full responsibility for my hasty action.”

Rosalie glared at him harshly. “What do you mean, ‘take full responsibility’? Are you going to fix it?”

“Not in the way you think,” Edward shook his head, his hair flopping in his eye for a moment before he shoved it away. “I’m leaving. As soon as... as soon as I know it’s safe.”

Jasper narrowed his eyes as Edward felt strong waves of protective and concerned emotions.

...who was he protecting? The rest of them?

“That would be the opposite of helpful,” Emmett pointed out precisely what Jasper was thinking. “We need to know what people are thinking.”

“Nobody aside from Bella saw anything; and she won’t tell anyone,” Edward said quickly.

Carlisle shook his head. “I think Emmett is right, Edward. The girl will be more likely to talk if you disappear. It’s all of us leave, or none of us.”

(sorrow.resolve.longing.)

Jasper looked next to him at the top of Harry’s head in surprise as his emotions hit him. Was he sorrowful at the thought of them all leaving? He’d seemed perfectly fine when Edward mentioned leaving.

“She’s not going to talk,” Edward insisted.

“Alice, what do you see?” Esme asked her daughter.

“Not a damn thing,” Alice curled her nose in annoyance. “Every option keeps leading up to white gaps.”

The seven vampires looked at Harry, who shrunk back at the sudden attention.

“I’m not doing anything?” he said defensively.

“What are you thinking about doing?” Jasper asked him. “Whatever decisions you’re making are changing the future, blocking Alice from seeing it.”

“Er... well I was thinking that I could try and obliviate Bella, but...” Harry trailed off and bit his lip. “But I don’t think I can do it without wiping her entire memory and I don’t know anyone who will break the law for me like that when it wasn’t magic that was exposed.”

“You’ll have to use ‘muggle’ terms,” Carlisle smiled kindly at Harry as he used his terminology. “What is an obliviate?”

“It erases memories,” Harry said. “But it takes a lot of technical skill, and even then it can sometimes be broken or wear off. I’ve never done it before and I don’t know if Hermione will be pleased to come do one.”

“We would never ask you or your friend to break your laws,” Carlisle said seriously. “But your offer is appreciated.”

Carlisle’s patience is what finally broke Rosalie. Her palm smacked down on the table with a loud bang. “We can’t allow the human a chance to say anything. Carlisle, you must see that. Even if we decided to all disappear, it’s not safe to leave stories behind us. We live so differently from the rest of our kind—you know there are those who would love an excuse to point fingers. We have to be more careful than anyone else!”

“We’ve left rumors behind us before,” Edward told her.

“Just rumors and suspicions, Edward. Not eyewitnesses and evidence!” Jasper nodded in absent agreement, they had to be entirely above suspicion and Bella Swan would bring that on them.

“Rose—” Carlisle began.

“Let me finish, Carlisle. It doesn’t have to be any big production. The girl hit her head today. So maybe that injury turns out to be more serious than it looked.” Rosalie shrugged. “Every mortal goes to sleep with the chance of never waking up. The others would expect us to clean up after ourselves. Technically, that would make it Edward’s job, but this is obviously beyond him. You know I’m capable of control. I would leave no evidence behind me.”

“Yes, Rosalie, we all know how proficient an assassin you are,” Edward snarled.

“Oh.” Alice let out a small huff and Edward looked up at her quizzically for a moment before looking over at Harry.

“You’re changing the future again,” Edward told him.

“What’s he doing?” Jasper asked uneasily. He knew what path Rosalie was set on, it was one that Jasper agreed with. But Harry was throwing a wrench in his certainty, because Harry would never follow that path.

“He’s blocking Rosalie, I think,” Alice squinted as she focused. “Rosalie’s leaving in her car, Harry shows up- white gap-“

Jasper desperately looked at Harry. Harry’s eyes were exceedingly green as he evenly held Jasper’s gaze.

“Rosalie is outside Bella Swans house- Jasper and Harry are waiting now- white gap. I can’t see anything while Harry’s involved.”

Jasper was still looking in to Harry’s eyes when Alice’s visions shifted to show the decision that Jasper had subconsciously made. Harry beamed at him, pleased to hear proof of Jasper’s decision in Alice’s vision.

“If you’re plotting the murder of a muggle girl I’m staying involved,” Harry told Alice lightly, breaking his intense stare off with Jasper. “Sorry about that.”

“I knew you were going to be a stubborn pain in my ass,” Rosalie growled at Harry, her fury ebbing and desperation taking place. “I don’t want to fight you; you’re the only brother I like.”

Edward and Jasper, both of whom have recently driven Rosalie to murderous rage, wisely remained silent.

“Don’t fight me then Rose,” Harry said pleadingly. “If Bella says a single word I swear I’ll wipe her whole damn memory, and whoever she talks to. Or I’ll convince Hermione to do it the right way anyway. Leave her alone though, her dad’s a decent bloke and he doesn’t deserve to lose his whole family because Edward made a mistake.”

None of them could doubt the sincerity, or first-hand grief, in Harry’s statement about Chief Swan losing his family. And Harry could hardly have found a better argument, as every person in the room had once upon a time lost their families.

“So are we staying then?” Emmett asked.

“We are,” Alice spoke up brightly, her emotions merry and relieved. “Edward, look.”

Edward met her eyes and the two entered their own silent stare off. Edward was confused, then abruptly horrified. “No,” he growled. “I won’t allow it.”

“This is really bloody annoying,” Harry whispered to Jasper. Carlisle chuckled, having heard him quite clearly.

“It is,” he agreed. “Alice, Edward, what are the rest of us missing?”

“It’s solidifying,” Alice whispered. “Every minute you’re more decided. There are really only two ways left for her. It’s one or the other, Edward.”

“Nooo,” Edward moaned and buried his face in his hands.

“WHAT is going on?” Emmett demanded. Harry’s face was rapidly turning from Alice to Edward, he had his forehead furrowed as he tried to piece it together.

“Either Edward’s going to kill Bella Swan himself- or he’s going to turn her,” Alice said.

“Why?” Esme asked softly.

“Oh!” Rosalie gasped and started laughing mockingly. “Edward fell for a human! An actual boring little mouse of a human!”

“Hey- that’s not on.” Harry glared at Rosalie before turning to Edward. “And neither’s that. I thought we just agreed not to kill Bella? And now you’re going to either kill her or turn her? That’s bullshit.”

Even for an incredibly intense moment, Jasper had a flash of amusement at Harry’s British accent mimicking a curse he picked up on from either Emmett or his cousin Jacob Black.

“I’m not,” Edward grit out. “I won’t.”

“All I know is it would take an amazing amount of self-control for you to not kill her,” Alice mused. “You could try though, if you’d like. Other than that it’s only two options. But I think she’ll be one of us one day.”

“Well... this complicates things.” Carlisle shared a look with Esme (concern.affection.joy.) before he addressed the rest of them. “The plan remains the same, we do not harm Isabella Swan-“

“Oh that disappeared as soon as Harry scolded Rosalie,” Alice said cheerfully. Harry smiled over at Rosalie, apparently pleased that she was no longer a threat to the human girl.

“Good,” Carlisle nodded. “We stay and we watch. And, as much as we’re all very fond of our recent addition to the family,” Carlisle smiled kindly at Harry (bewilderment.), “I would rather us not hastily decide to turn anyone else.” Here he gave Alice and Jasper a disappointed frown and they both hung their heads. “If everyone’s in agreement then I believe that is that.”

“Meeting adjourned then!” Emmett hit the table lightly with his fist when nobody spoke up to contradict Carlisle. Emmett immediately turned to Harry and gave him a pleading look, “Hey kid- do me and Rose a favor?”

“Yeah?”

“Will you come kick Edward’s ‘arse’ in a fight? Rose will pout all night if someone doesn’t at least humiliate Edward a little. And he can’t read your mind to cheat, it’ll be good to see him lose.”

Harry lit up with enthusiasm. Edward raised a brow, having been gone when Harry and Emmett fought. The rest of them hid amused smiles. Even with the immense danger that Edward put them in today, they all loved him as a brother or son. But...

But Edward could be a smug bastard and was hard to fight with his ability to pluck his opponents moves right out of their heads. So it would be cathartic for the rest of them to watch him at least be evenly matched in a fight.

“If he’s not scared,” Harry shrugged and pulled his wand out. “I’d hate to hurt him.”

Edward agreed at that blow to his pride and Jasper smiled happily down at Harry as he read his emotions. Harry was angry, annoyed, grieving, and likely not planning on pulling any punches.

“If you win we can go steal that fire truck this weekend,” Jasper breathed in Harry’s ear as they all moved to the yard, the overall mood closer to joy than the furious anger it had been when the meeting first started.

“Game on,” Harry smiled.

Harry hadn’t won, but he’d looked breathtakingly incredible as they eventually fought to a tie. Edward had taken a lot of blows during the match, but Harry hadn’t been able to incapacitate him, just as Edward couldn’t get close enough to Harry to snatch him.

“I tried,” Harry told Jasper afterwards. He was panting, out of breath from the exertion of the fight, and his forehead was covered with a light sheen of sweat. It was both endearing and exasperating that he seemed to think that winning the mock battle had been a real contingency of Jasper’s offer.

“Harry, would you like to go out with me on a date this weekend?”

“Are we stealing a fire truck?” Harry’s eyes were twinkling and he was radiating warm waves of joy.

“If you say yes then I’ll even take you to steal a tank of your own if you’d like,” Jasper swore.

“Yes.”