FOREVER AND ALWAYS ━━━━ jasper hale.

60- Even Darkness

"'Tis better to have loved and lost, then to never have loved at all."

-Alfred, Lord Tennyson

***

The music coming from Edward's piano rolled over me like a gentle wave from the ocean. Delicate, but not  careful delicate, real delicate, like a lily pad that spends its entire life resting on a leaf in the middle of a lake. Undisturbed except for the quiet sounds of nature. 

  My head was on Jasper's shoulder, his resting on mine, as we sat around the piano, Edward's fingers dancing across the keys like he had done it a million times before, which he probably has. Nessie was in the corner with Sadie, giggling whenever she changed her hair color, Rose and Emmett were smushed together on a love seat that only Emmett could fit on. Bella was next to Edward, her eyes gleaming an her lips beaming. Carlisle and Esme were there too, on the couch next to Jasper and I, while Alice flitted around the room, re-arranging flower vases. Jacob was here too, unsurprisingly, sitting next to Sadie and ignoring her pointed glares. 

 I have always appreciated the piano. I used to play, for a few years when I was younger, but I was never even close to how good Edward is. I guess he did have a... slight advantage. 

 A loud crash broke into the melody, followed by a obnoxiously loud shattering noise as the vase in Alice's hand slipped from her grasp, breaking on the floor and sending shards of glass flying across the floor. I subconsciously jerked my knee's up, and Jasper's eyebrows furrowed. 

 "What is it, Alice?" He asked, as we all knew that Alice would never drop anything unless she broke into one of her visions, she's too careful. 

 "The Volturi, they're coming for us." Her words were quiet, and they chilled me to the point goosebumps rose on my arm, something that shouldn't be able to happen. She sounded scared, something you can only tell by the soft tremble of her words. "Aro, Caius, Marcus, the guard, and Irinia." 

 "Honey, come here," Bella beckoned her daughter over, who obediently padded over. Sadie sat up straighter, seemingly oblivious to the fact that her hair was short, spiky, and bright blue. "What's going on?" 

 "What did Irina see in the woods?" Edward obviously addressed something inside of someone's head, as I didn't have a clue what he meant by 'in the woods.' 

 "We were just walking," Bella explained, hoisting Nessie onto her lap and wrapping her arms around her protectively.

 "Ness was catching snowflakes." Jacob added, walking over so he could be closer to the young girl. I scrunched my nose, looking up at Jasper, who didn't look to pleased himself. 

 "Of course," Edward scoffed humorlessly, raising to rest his hand on his head, "they think Renesmee is an immortal child." 

 "I'm sorry," I put my hands up. So much was happening at once, I had to clear some things up. "An immortal child? Like... a vampire baby?" 

 "The immortal children were so beautiful, so enchanting." Carlisle began, his face grave. Esme rested a reassuring hand on his chest, so he continued. "To be near them was to love them." 

 I bit my cheek, seeing Edward send me a curt look when I accidentally thought how that was what people were like around Alice.