Interminable E. Cullen

Chapter 18

"How strange," Ophelia murmured as her boyfriend carefully walked her through the doorway of the Cullen home. 

"What is?" 

She stopped, pulling him closer and pressing her hands against his face, on his cheeks, her fingertips softly trailing on the skin under his eyes and down to his mouth. Ophelia tutted in disapproval, "You haven't eaten."

Edward chuckled, grabbing her waist and pressing a feathery kiss to her neck that sent shivers down her spine. "I was busy last night, and this morning, and the rest of the day." He kissed up to her cheek and then once on her lips. 

"You don't excuse me when I don't eat," Ophelia argued. 

"That's because you'll get sick if you don't eat." 

"So will you." She didn't back down, instead pushing his distracting lips away from her and pouting before Alice carefully twirled in, ready to diffuse the situation. 

"Alright lovebirds, let's actually get you to the party before you two leave in a bad mood." 

Ophelia allowed herself to be pulled away and towards her "surprise" party. 

Everyone wished her a happy birthday, coming forward to give her a gift or set it down in front of her. Emmett being the most playful, his giant body bounding towards her in a joking way that made her small frame inch closer to Edward in a way that only one particular vampire noticed. 

Seated in a farther corner, Rosalie narrowed her eyes at the exchange between her husband and the birthday girl. Something about it seeming all too familiar yet she allowed herself to brush it off, feigning it as nothing but an annoyance. 

However, the next action was unexpected. 

Alice saw only a small enough glimpse for Edward to react, and the rest to jump up quickly.

Emmett had once again moved too quickly towards Ophelia, who stepped back unconsciously and tripping over some wrapping paper. She fell quickly, a deep cut scraping across her forearm from the scissors he had left. 

All at once the family was in motion; Jasper growling, pushing roughly against Emmett and Carlisle's bodies, Edward who crouched in front of Ophelia protectively, and the rest trying their best to take it all outside and away from the scent of blood. 

"Jasper, I'm so sorry," Ophelia blubbered out as soon as she heard the door close a silence now filling the room. Her shakey hand reached towards where she thought Edward was, but came up empty. 

Instead it was Carlisle who returned, taking her carefully into his study to patch her up. 

Ophelia sat quietly for the most part. Wincing here and there when the needle pushed into her skin or when he cleaned the wound with disinfectant. 

"Is Edward - "

She cringed when she felt the needle pierce her skin once again. 

"He's gone. He will be back in a bit to take you home. He needed a moment to create some thoughts of his own," Carlisle answered. 

"I want to see him." 

"Edwar-" 

"Not Edward, Jasper. Please. I won't be able to if we wait until Edward comes home." Ophelia whispered, and Carlisle nodded despite her not being able to see the gesture. 

Jasper was seated on the steps to the backyard, head heavy in his hands. Emmett and Carlisle were outside, but Ophelia quickly dismissed them. "Please. I'd rather speak to him alone. Nothing will happen, you can even ask Alice."

She sat down next to the broken vampire, feeling the pain seep off of him and trickle over to her body as she moved closer. 

"You shouldn't do that," he whispered, finally looking up to see her body facing him. 

"I trust you." 

Jasper let out a dry laugh. "I almost killed you." 

"I don't believe you would have killed me." 

Once again he felt confusion run through his body. Where the hell did my brother find this girl?

"It's not your fault," Ophelia spoke up when he didn't respond. Her head tilted to the side. "I know you think you're worse than the others because you have less control than they do. I think the opposite. In a way you have more control than them. You're battling your hunger, plus all of theirs, and expected to be perfect and without struggle. You aren't weaker than them or more dangerous. You're just, different. A strong kind of different." 

Jasper stared at her and she moved closer, until her arms were wrapped around him in a tight hug. "Bella says my hugs make everyone feel better. I hope it works on vampires." 

He laughed loudly at that, no longer feeling hungry or dangerous. Instead hugging her back, thankful that one day he'd have the pleasure of calling her a sister-in-law. 

"Ophelia." 

Edward's voice was loud, strained, and held a twinge of anger. 

"I'm taking you home."