11 | INTERROGATION |

warning; some dark, triggering events occur at the end of the chapter

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"YOU LOOK OVERWHELMED."

Rory let out a small gasp from her bed to find the unexpected vampire visitor standing in front of her open window. It was nearing midnight, the silvery beams flatteringly highlighted his high cheekbones as he observed her with a raised brow, his wavy honey hair lightly ruffling with the night breeze.

Jasper Hale, a vampire, was in her bedroom.

She blinked, glanced at the laptop screen which definitely did not display a mythological website all about vampires, reached out and slammed the screen close, fluidly shoving it under the bedcovers before smiling at Jasper as if she had not just suspiciously put her laptop away the moment she realized he had snuck in.

"Not that I want you to leave," Rory said slowly, "but if you wanted to come over, you could've, I don't know, texted me? Instead of scaring the shit out of me...I mean look at me," she broadly gestured to her pajamas and bare face, "I would have changed if I knew you were coming..."

She felt horribly awkward once more even though she knew deep down she had no reason to be. She fiddled with the loose thread of her baggy sweater she wore that was so big on her it hid her plain cotton shorts. She was basically only wearing an oversized sweater, essentially half-naked, in front of Jasper Hale.

Jasper nodded apologetically. "I didn't mean to cause you any discomfort. I—I'll go—" He turned to grasp the window sill once more, preparing to jump out to hide his mortification at thoughtlessly invading into Rory's room without invitation. He wasn't Edward (who was currently doing so in the white house next door.) At least Jasper wasn't watching her sleep.

"No—" Rory was surprised at how fast she dismissed his attempt to exit. Her hand had reached out and grasped Jasper's sleeve instinctively. "I mean, you can stay. If you want. I'd...like it if you did. Just next time...give me a warning."

Jasper's stiff disposition softened immensely. He nodded once as he stared down at her as if she was an angel. Her hand on his sleeve slid down to his hand, intertwining their fingers together until he was fully in the room. Rory sat back on the bed while Jasper stood before her, looking as though he had something important to talk about.

He decided he preferred her bare and natural face—not that he hated makeup. It simply wasn't his business and he appreciated the artistry of Rory's skills anyways. She didn't need it but she clearly liked makeup and Jasper liked everything that was Rory. Her bare face revealed the fawn colored constellations that dotted her cheeks and nose. Even the red and faded acne scars endeared him, though he knew many others wouldn't agree.

He could stare at her all day. Jasper blinked out of his thoughts as Rory asked him a question.

"Is everything okay?" Her eyes held concern as her mind frantically darted to countless scenarios where something had gone wrong for Jasper. What if he was sick from eating the very human pizza? Or his family was angry at him? Or he had...lost control?

Jasper shook his head lightly, "I was running home—"

"—running? Why?" She didn't know why she was surprised, he did find her in the middle of the woods...Clearly he hadn't ubered there. But the verbal fact still struck odd to her.

He looked amused, "Yes. I'm a vampire, Rory, not a magician. I don't just magically appear out of nowhere."

"Well, I'm a human. And I actually was thinking less running and more like flying. Like a bat," Rory snickered at the playfully offended expression on the blond's face.

"We don't fly." He rolled his eyes. "And back to the point, I was on my way home," he looked at her pointedly, knowing she was about to input another joke, "when I remembered I forgot something."

"And what is this request, fearsome vampire," Rory asked airily, half-jokingly.

"You have to promise not to tell anyone, not even Bella, the truth about me and my family," Jasper said seriously. "No one can know what we truly are."

Rory scrunched her features. "You thought I was going to tell?" A wave of hurt passed through her. He didn't trust her? She didn't let it show, merely raising a brow at him.

"Most humans prefer to tell their closest paramours the secrets they know," he pointed out logically. "Bella is your closest friend who happens to be interested in my brother who also happens to be a vampire."

"It's not like anyone would believe me if I said 'hey, everyone, you all know the intimidating and inhumanely beautiful Cullen family? Turns out they're vampires—yeah, the creatures of the night who feast on blood'," Rory imitated with a roll of her eyes.

Jasper sighed, "Please, Rory."

"Hitler promised not to invade Czechoslovakia and look what happened," Rory replied, challenging the vampire with a playful grin.

"I know, I was there." One side of his mouth lifted in that secretive smile of his.

"Wait, no way..." Her eyes widened, "I knew you couldn't possibly have been from this decade but even the 1940's?"

Jasper shrugged. "I'm afraid I've been alive—or undead—for a lot longer than that."

She gaped at the blond Adonis before her, holding her hand. "Oh Jesus. Please tell me you're not as old as Jesus."

"Maybe," he replied smugly, his topaz eyes alit with fire.

"What?" Rory gasped. "Tell me!" She whispered excitedly.

He arched an eyebrow, "Well, since you asked so nicely...no."

She pouted. "Come on, Jasper. I won't run away in terror."

"I'll tell you if you promise not to tell Bella," Jasper offered with a belligerent grin.

All traces of humor faded from her voice, "I wasn't going to tell her or anyone else anyways. It sort of hurt that you thought I would. You can trust me, Jasper." Her hand rested over where his unbeating heart laid.

He frowned apologetically. "I know and I'm sorry." He stroked the curve of her tanned cheek. "I do trust you. My family on the other hand..."

Rory felt mortified. "Does your family...not like me?" Her anxiety levels soared.

His brow furrowed. "Well—"

Oh no. He hesitated. "I haven't even met your parents and they hate me," Rory bit her lip. "This is bad." Some more sensible part of her questioned her topic of concerns considering she should be more concerned over the fact that the Cullens were vampires.

"No one hates you," Jasper appeased her gently, lifting her chin up with his index finger until their eyes met.

"What about Rosalie?" Her eyes narrowed.

"That's just how Rose is," he sighed, "My family, they're just cautious. You and Bella concern them because you're both only human and neither Edward nor I can stay away which makes it a precarious situation." His thumb rubbed calming circles on the base of her jaw where his hand cupped her cheek.

"So they're nervous about our reactions?" Rory reassessed the situation. Jasper nodded. "Okay, so if I met them, they wouldn't be so cautious of u—me. Of me."

"You want to meet my family?"

Rory shrugged. "Why not? It's only beneficial. I meet them as vampires and they meet me, the human. And I've met all your siblings and your father. It's just your mother I've yet to meet. And she's the one I really need to impress."

Jasper smiled at her endearingly. "You don't have to impress my vampire mother."

"I want to. It's...important to me." She didn't delve into her own reasons, leaving the heavy topic for another day.

"Okay."

"Okay."

They smiled at each other a moment longer. Both of their gazes briefly flickered to each others lips but made no move. They simply relished in each other's calming presence.

Jasper suddenly looked away to the open window as if intently listening to something Rory couldn't hear. He let out a sigh a moment longer before meeting her curious stare. "I must leave you to go explain to my family how a dangerously beautiful seductress managed to get me to reveal our darkest secret."

Rory blushed furiously as she followed Jasper to the window. "You're ridiculous, Hale."

"Me? Well please feel free to continue browsing the unreliable internet for vampire mythology." He winked at her knowingly.

"I'm a thorough researcher!" she whispered defensively, keenly aware of her mother's room just down the hall.

"I know you are darling," Jasper smirked as he half-way hung out the window. He glanced back at Rory with an arched eyebrow, "By the way, I'm picking you up tomorrow morning."

Before Rory could sputter a response, Jasper disappeared in the blink of an eye. Rory still had her suspicions of his running capabilities.

The next morning, Rory rolled out of bed with a smile on her face. Okay, she actually didn't because she hit snooze about five times before begrudgingly getting out of bed, but she did speed through her morning routine which counts enough. She fed Orion and herself before grabbing all her things to wait near the front door. Her mother had already left an hour before Rory so all Rory had to do was impatiently wait for her ride to arrive.

Knock knock.

Rory tried not to run, emphasis on tried, to open the door. Her backpack was slung over one shoulder and she smiled as she swung open the door happily to see a face that did not belong to Jasper Hale.

"Uh, good morning?" Bella Swan raised her eyebrows at the sight of the very flustered and already ready Rory. Typically Rory was never ready by the time Bella came over.

"Morning, Bella," Rory smiled with flushed cheeks. She wore a pair of ripped jeans over a black v-neck bodysuit and black Fenty Pumas. Her sherpa denim jacket tied the whole outfit together.

"So is there a reason why you're all dressed up and on time today? Usually you sleep in until I come over and then you spend ten minutes getting ready while I have a nice cup of coffee," Bella said suspiciously eyeing the oddly energetic brunette.

"Oh, crap, Bella," Rory flattened her palm over her face, "I meant to tell you that—"

"—I'll be taking Rory to school today, Bella, if you don't mind that is." Jasper Hale smoothly appeared out of thin air.

The brunette raised an eyebrow amusingly, taking in Rory's unusually flushed face and Jasper Hale's subtle smirk. Bella hid a smile as she nodded understandably. "Okay. I'll...see you later, Rors." Bella awkwardly turned back around and almost tripped over the sidewalk as she walked to her truck.

Rory shyly looked back up at Jasper once Bella revved the engine of the truck up and pulled away. He was wearing black jeans and a grey shirt paired with a nicely-fitted leather jacket—all designer of course. His honey-blond waves were effortlessly perfectly tousled and his eyes were a warm molten gold once more. Jasper rose one cool eyebrow and offered his arm to Rory.

"Shall we?"

Rory reached out and grabbed Jasper's cold hand. She smiled wirily at him. "We'll be at the top of the gossip-mill now, Hale."

Rory had never seen Jasper drive any vehicle, he had been a constant passenger in either Edward's silver Volvo or Rosalie's red Mercedes convertible—the Cullen's seemed to only drive ostentatious cars. So when Jasper walked over to a silver Ducati with a smirk, Rory was impressed but not surprised (except for the fact that she had somehow completely missed Jasper arriving in it for some reason).

"Don't tell me you're scared of riding a motorcycle?" Jasper grinned as they stood beside the bike.

Rory narrowed her eyes and shook her head. She tightened the straps of her backpack. "No. I'm just thinking about how flashy you are with the newest Ducati on the market when you're supposed to be inconspicuous." She watched as he straddled the seat, he handed her a helmet.

"Where's yours?" Rory asked suspiciously before strapping it on.

"Trust me, I don't need it." Jasper chuckled as she narrowed her eyes and swung her legs across to the other side before slowly wrapping her hands around Jasper's hard torso. He secured her hands, maneuvering them until her fingers were firmly intertwined together with no chance of her slipping off, his thumb rubbing circles on the back of her hand before he grabbed the handles, revving the engine. "Hold on tight, sleeping beauty."

"I resent that, you know," she muttered as he took off, missing his exuberant laugh as the immense speed deafened her ears.

When a flashy never-been-seen before silver Ducati arrived at Fork High School's parking lot in a cacophony of noise and attention. Every person in the lot took a long look at the two passengers, Jasper Hale at the handles while a helmeted female was wrapped around him. Bella stood with Angela and the others, knowingly watching the spectacle. The Ducati parked in the empty space next to Edward's silver Volvo where him and his siblings watched the two with interest.

Jessica gasped. "Is that—"

"Yup."

As she swung off the motorcycle to allow Jasper to get off, Rory was unnerved yet used to the amount of eyes on her. Everyone seemed to be shocked that one of the Cullen's appeared to be with someone and driving another gaudy vehicle as well. Those who didn't care for the Cullen's but cared for cars, ogled the flawless motorcycle with heart eyes.

Jasper stood next to her, reaching out to help unstrap the helmet she had been having difficulty with before she took it off to reveal her uncomfortable expression. Her eyes darted around them, catching the stares of every student, including his siblings who stood next to them except for the Ducati between them.

"Are you alright?" he asked in a way that wasn't referring to the motorcycle ride, but the amount of stares that caused her anxiety levels to rise. He had grabbed her hand and was already rubbing circles with his thumb.

"I'm good," she said after a moment. She eyed him, noting something was missing, "Where's your backpack?"

He grinned and turned around to face his family, fluidly catching the plain black backpack that was shot at him by Emmett, who winked at Rory when she glanced at him.

However she noticed the four all looked at her even more cautiously while Rosalie also glared (which wasn't unusual). So Jasper had told them. She didn't let her grin falter, simply tightened her grasp on Jasper's hand.

Jasper stared at them a bit before they all visibly relaxed. He clearly used his abilities on them by the roll of Edward's eyes.

"Good morning," Rory smiled at them. Kindness was key in making one's vampire not-boyfriend's family like them.

They all mirrored her expression and greeted her atypically. Alice prattled on about a future shopping trip while the other four talked about something in low tones Rory couldn't discern.

"Rosalie," Rory took the leap, pushing away the rush of anxiety she felt when the blonde flashed her sharp eyes on her. "Would you join Alice and I? I'm afraid if I'm left all alone with her," Rory didn't notice the vampires all share a wary look, "Alice will make me into her barbie doll. I need someone to help reign her down." They all relaxed at hearing the rest of her reasoning, having thought Rory meant she hadn't wanted to be alone with a vampire.

"If I have no choice," Rosalie responded flatly, which Rory took with a grin.

"Great, well I'm going to Port Angeles for prom shopping with my friends," Rory said, "but I'm otherwise free."

"My brother asked you to prom?" Rosalie sneered. She was in disbelieving shock at the thought of how serious her brother's relationship with the human was getting.

Rory and Jasper both stiffened uncomfortably while Edward and Emmett stifled their laughter.

Rory scratched her nose. "Um, I made plans to go with my friends..."

"Don't worry, he will ask," Alice said knowingly.

"Alice," Jasper hissed with narrowed golden eyes.

Rory looked at her with confusion and curiosity. The way she said it caught Rory's attention.

"On that note, we should go," Jasper said as he led her off. "Come on, sleeping beauty, we have a Spanish test." Rory rolled her eyes but didn't miss the sound of Alice's squeals.

"Did you see that?" Alice bounced happily.

"Aw, he called her 'sleeping beauty' like that princess movie you like Rosie," Emmett added as the Cullen's watched their brother hold the hand of a human girl who didn't mind the cold temperature.

Rosalie watched the human girl sharply. "Her name is Aurora." The comment seemed offhanded but Edward, Alice, and Emmett smiled as it seemed even Rosalie was warming up to the human girl.

Rory was able to fare off all the questions and interrogation from her friends throughout the day, purposely sticking to Jasper's side because they were too intimidated to approach him. She and Jasper even skipped lunch to study in the library much to his amusement. At the end of the day was when Jessica could no longer hold off and she stubbornly stopped in front of Jasper and Rory on the way to his motorcycle.

"Hi, Jess," Rory said.

"Rory, did you forget something?" Jessica asked pointedly. "Port Angeles...?"

"I didn't forget, Jess," Rory rolled her eyes. "I was just about to find you."

"Sure." Jessica stood there with her arms crossed. Rory glanced at Jasper and then at Jessica.

Jasper chuckled lowly, touching the small of Rory's back as he leaned in close to her ear. "I'll see you later."

"Maybe you will, Hale." Rory grinned. Jasper winked at her as he turned and made his way to his motorcycle. She watched him with a faint smile.

"God, you two are adorable," Jessica commented begrudgingly. "But you have a lot to tell me. No more avoiding."

Rory sighed. "I know." It was going to be a long ride.

Rory followed Jess to her white Mercury where Angela and Bella were waiting.

"Hi, Rory." Both girls were very amused as they looked at Rory with teasing expressions.

"Okay, so we're going to follow Bella home so she can drop her car off and we can take mine to Port Angeles," Jess explained as Rory had been MIA all day to her annoyance. She had been itching to get the dirt.

"Sounds good," Rory said, getting into the passenger seat of the car once everyone filed into either Jessica's car or Bella into her truck. She had attempted to join Bella but Jessica's glare refuted the escape attempt. She glanced back across the lot one last time for a glimpse at the tall, wavy haired blond vampire who had captured her eye and her heart.

Jess barely waited for the car to start to begin her interrogation. "So, you and Jasper are like official now?"

"No," Rory answered simply much to Jessica and Angela's disbelief.

"What?" Angela sputtered. "But he took you to school...on his motorcycle."

"And you hold hands like ninety percent of the time you two are in the same place," Jessica said aghast.

"You both skipped lunch together," Angela pointed out, "Where did you go if not a romantic rendezvous?"

"We studied in the library," Rory answered flippantly.

"'Studying' is what the kids call it nowadays," Jessica snickered with a disbelievingly mocking tone. "I think someone's lying..." she said in a sing-song voice.

"I'm not lying," Rory said defensively. "Jasper's not my boyfriend. We're not even going to prom together. We're just friends." Friends who had admitted to liking each other but had made no move to take the next step.

"Prom isn't for a few weeks," Angela said brightly. "He might still ask you. Or you can ask him, follow your own advice."

"I'd rather spend prom night with my best friends. Prom doesn't have to be a romantic experience," Rory dismissed their cajoling.

"Rory, you are the only girl that Jasper Hale, a very, very hot teenage boy, has shown any interest in all the years he's gone to Forks High," Jess pouted at Rory's cool expression.

"Jasper's more than his looks, you know?"

"Well, I wouldn't know actually because he has never had a conversation with me before, Rory," Jess rolled her eyes. "It's only you. Just you."

Rory sighed with a shrug. "Believe whatever you want. We aren't dating."

"But you want to be," Angela said quietly.

Rory didn't have a response. Instead, she leaned over and raised the volume level up to a song that kept all of their attention from the topic. Then they arrived at Bella's house, where once Bella came in, the discussion turned to prom.

The gown boutique in Port Angeles was full of beautiful dresses as Rory expected but was also quite busy with the approaching prom season. The four girls found a spot right in front of the window opening onto the public street where strangers could watch them walk around in the gowns.

Jessica flounced out of the changing room, with a provocative pose. "I think this halter makes my boobs look big. What do you think, Bella?"

Rory had easily picked out a handful of gowns her size and had begun trying them on. The first two didn't fit her well or looked odd, but the third dress was nice. It was a long chiffon black dress with a swooping v-shaped front with ruffled sleeves and a thigh high slit. She stepped out of the dressing room to show to the other girls.

"Ooh, that looks fantastic, Jess," Rory complimented her friend at the dusty-rose colored dress she wore. "I like that one better than the white one on you."

"Thank you," Jess turned to look at Rory and her jaw dropped. "I seriously hate you."

"What?" Rory frowned in confusion.

"You look amazing!" Jessica whined. "You're always so unbelievably gorgeous, ugh."

Angela stepped out to see what the commotion was about. "She isn't wrong. You have to get that dress!"

"Imagine the look on Jasper's face once he sees you like this," Jessica giggled. She pulled out her phone and quickly snapshotted a picture of Rory in the dress much to her embarrassment.

"Jess!"

Suddenly the girls were interrupted by the obnoxious catcalling coming from a group of rowdy frat boys passing by. They ogled at both Rory and Jessica who were wearing low cut gowns. Rory glared while Jessica embarrassedly turns back to Bella.

"The store needs to make the dressing room area more private," Rory sniffed in disdain, making her way over to the dressing room to change. "But I really think that's the dress for you, Jess. The halter does you wonders."

The brunette nodded and turned to their quiet friend who had been studying a printed out map. "Bella?"

"It looks great," Bella absently responded, glancing at Jessica's gown briefly.

Jessica sighed and placed her hands on her hips. "You said that about the last five dresses."

"You're not very good at this, are you?" Angela commented empathetically.

"Everything okay, Bella?" Rory frowned in concern. Bella was really distracted and out of it.

Bella shrugged. "Maybe I should just go check out the book store and meet you at the restaurant later," she suggested, standing up from the windowsill.

Angela's brows furrowed. "You sure?"

Bella nodded, making her way out of the shop.

"Wait, Bella!"

She paused in her stride to see Rory fully dressed and running after her. Rory had quickly purchased the black gown, said her intentions to Jessica and Angela, and had ran as fast as she could down the street outside the shop to find Bella.

"Rory?"

Rory huffed and panted. "I wasn't just going to let you go to a strange bookstore in a town you barely know by yourself."

"You don't know this place either," Bella pointed out.

"Touché," Rory shrugged. "Well, what's the name of the bookstore again?"

Bella rechecked the paper she had been holding with the directions. "Thunderbird and Whale Bookstore."

It took the girls a good fifteen minutes to find the bookstore and another thirty minutes browsing the different books that could possibly reveal what the Cullens were. Rory double checked each book Bella mulled over. extensively ensuring it included the myth of vampires until only one book remained. The native man who rang up their purchases (Rory had found a book on native art) rose his brow at Bella's book with wary regard.

Rory and Bella walked down the sidewalk, mindlessly chattering about the contents of Bella's book until they were made keenly aware of the sounds of footsteps echoing behind them. It didn't stop.

(warning)

Rory narrowed her eyes as they both glanced behind them to find no one. She didn't have a good feeling about this. She pulled out her phone, only to see a dead screen much to her frustration. Shit, shit, shit.

"I'm sure our friends are anxiously waiting for our arrival. It's a good thing we're almost about to see them," Rory said in a loud voice, trying to ward off their potential unwanted company. Most rapists and muggers weren't likely to attack if they knew their victims were near to help. Rory wondered if vampires were the same as well.

Bella blinked in confusion. "What are—"

"We need to get somewhere safe," Rory whispered anxiously reaching out to grab Bella's wrist in case someone, or something, tried to grab either of them.

The footsteps didn't relent. The constant bubble of anxiety Rory felt inflated as she began to internally panic. But first, she and Bella needed to get back onto the public street. They tried to take a shortcut into an ally, only to see two faceless male figures enter from the opposite side.

They changed course, cutting across a parking lot only to be intercepted by two men to emerge from the shadows, not vampires, but the frat boys from the dress shop window who were heavily wasted now. They had dark intents in their heavily lidded eyes. Both girls were scared now, breathing quickly and feeling like the world was closing in on them.

They tried to run the other way only to be stopped by more of the frat boys group. "Hey, where are you running to?"

"We saw you at the dress shop." One of the frat boys cajoled as his friends cackled.

Bella turned to her left; two other guys are there. Rory looked to her right where three guys were joking around, but all had a sickly familiar gleam in their eyes. They were cornered.

"There they are..." One of the guys said, appraising the girls lewdly.

"How are you guys doing?" One guy said them, trying to get closer. He eyed both girls as evil ideas played in his head.

"What's up, ladies?" Another joined in.

Bella grabbed Rory's hand and attempted to shove their way out of the circle. "Whoa! Where are you going?"

Rory blinked dazedly. Everything sounded like she was hearing it from a glass wall. Muffled almost. She tried to numbly push against the wall of drunk men surrounding her and Bella.

"Where are you going?"

Rory couldn't breathe.

Another hummed. "Hang out with us."

Bella was freaking out.

Rory felt an incoming panic attack closing in on her.

Not again.

Not again.

Not again.

"Rory?" She could distantly hear Bella frantically asking her as the men closed in, jostling the girls.

"What's the problem?" One frowned in false concern.

"Stay away from us," Rory whispered.

One bravely reached out for Bella's arm. "You're pretty."

She jerked it out and tried to shove more of them away. "Don't touch me."

"Your friend's even prettier," Another, who wore a baseball cap, commented lustily eyeing Rory who was looking around dazedly, like she was in another place. He crudely pulled the numb Rory away as two boys blocked Bella from getting to her.

"Rory!"

She numbly looked at Bella, mouthing, "You'll be okay."

"No!" Bella kept fighting, pushing and shoving.

Another guy grabbed Rory from behind as baseball cap ran his hands down Rory's body. "You looked delicious in that dress earlier."

The shiny lights suddenly became brighter as a loud screech interrupted the attack. A silver Volvo hastily stopped, sending a few of the men jumping out of the way. Rory and Bella stared with wide eyes as two figures leaped out of the car with loud, terrifying growls.