The Sun and The Moon

A/N - So, it's been a while since I wrote something and felt an itch to start something new. I was originally trying to steer clear of the Twilight/Harry Potter fandoms but couldn't help myself. There is not nearly enough Harry/Jasper out there.

This story will contain some strong adult themes at times so please read the warnings before each chapter if anything might trigger you.

I want to also make this clear. I'm an Australian and know next to nothing about the Civil War or Texas. I've tried to do as much research as possible but please feel free to message me if I get anything wrong.

Trigger Warnings for the Chapter: Child Abuse

Prologue – Memories That Never Fade

May 27th, 1996 – Austwick, England

Jasper Hale, formally Jasper Whitlock, studied the piece of golden metal in his hand with glazed, topaz eyes. It's jagged edges and ridged texture made it seem even more cold and lifeless then it already was. Despite being over 100 years old, it was still in pristine condition. There were no scratches, no rust and it still held a beautiful shine. He knew he should probably feel something as he looked over the old, Confederate Army medal; pride, nostalgia, remorse, a combination of those and so many more emotions not even an empath could properly name? Probably. Yet all he felt was an odd sense of numbness. He flipped it over, tracing his name with apathy: MAJ Jasper Whitlock.

He heaved an unnecessary sigh before dropping the medal back in the box on the bed beside him. Inside he could see the remnants of his army unfirm. The jacket with four missing buttons, trousers tattered by years of merciless war, boots that were scuffed and scratched. I think one of them has a hole in the sole too. This, his original uniform from the war, had remained in this box for years. He looked over it all with disinterest. Packed away like this, it had no significance to him. However, he knew if he pulled it out and saw it in its entirety, it would be a different story. He shoved it away, not able to look at it any longer, lest the memories of the last day he wore it came flooding back.

A soft thud drew his attention back to where the box had ended up. The sharp push had knocked something out and onto his blue-carpeted floor. At first glance, he thought it was just his medal. However, a closer look made him realise it was something else. A sharp spike of grief shot through his still heart as he saw what it was.

This piece of metal was far less shiny then his medal. Dull in colour, slightly rusted and with a large crack down the middle. The clear signs of neglect never failed to cause a pool of rage to settle in his chest. He turned it over with shaking hands and studied the name on the back. As he did so the emotions he always tried to keep buried broke the floodgates and he knew if vampires could cry, he would be a bawling mess.

He allowed himself a few moments of weakness before putting the medal down next to him on the bed and looking once again to the old, cardboard box. It's this week. The least I can do is have a look. I owe him that much. The blond-haired vampire sighed before he gently lifted the box into his lap and brushed a hand over the old material. No one is home today. I can give myself this.

Feeling older then he ever had before, he pulled the worn grey jacket out of the box and studied it with a growing sense of grief. It was nothing special at a first glance; ripped in some places, the single stars on the collar a clear indication of his rank. What did stand out was the dark red patch that permanently stained the woollen material.

All things considered, blood wasn't that much of a shock to see on a soldier's uniform and in most circumstances; Jasper would have barely batted an eye at the sight. However, it was whom the blood belonged to that had the vampire's heart twisting painfully.

"Harvey…"

A memory of a time long ago came to mind as he continued to stare back and forth between the bloody uniform and the medal on the bed; the name MAJ Harvey Potter on clear display.

…

March 15th, 1849 – Houston, Texas

Jasper laughed with glee as he ran through the paddock, his rough collie puppy, Misty, yipping beside him as she tried to catch the stick in his hand. He had just turned five last month and his father, Austin Whitlock, had told him he was finally big enough to start to learn to ride a horse. He'd be learning on his father's thoroughbred, Wonder, and once he'd learnt to take care of a horse properly, he'd be allowed to have his own.

He skidded to a stop when he saw the fence line up ahead. Turning back, he was surprised to find that he could no longer see the family home from here. His mother, Caroline, had always told him to stay within sight of their home at all times. Our land is very big Jasper and the woods lie just beyond. You could easily get hurt or lost if you wonder off on your own, she had once told him. When she had shooed him out of the house this morning with the simple instruction of 'go play with Misty', he hadn't really considered how far away he was running. Looking around, the paddock around him was huge. He couldn't even see the fence on either side. He gripped the battered stick in his hand nervously. He hadn't been this far away from home before without his father there. He was in the bottom paddock right now, the one where they brought the horses in the warmest months. A small stream cut through it on the east side of the paddock, perfect for the hot Texas summers. It was still spring though and his father never brought the horses this far down at this time of year.

Jasper slowly walked towards the south fence, the one he knew bordered the edge of their property, before stopping just a couple of metres away from it. Beyond he could see nothing but trees and bushes, lush with springtime colour. The tall shumard and live oak trees toward over him with menacing height. Jasper stepped back, watching, as the shadows in the bush seemed to move. "C'mon Misty. We should go back."

Misty, oblivious to her owner's unease, yipped again before finally snatching the stick from his hand and racing away toward the fence. Jasper gasped, quickly running to try and catch the pup before she got out, his fear momentarily forgotten. "Misty! Come back! We can't go out there!"

The little dog was too fast however and she quickly slipped under the wooden planks and ran off into the maze of shrubs and tree trunks. "MISTY!" The young boy cried. One second, two seconds, one minute, three minutes. The dog didn't return.

Jasper paced along the fence anxiously. He remembered the stories his brother, Dallas, had told him of the woods beyond their home. There are massive mountain lions in there Jazz. They're huge! Bigger then the house! If you go inside they'll drag you away and eat you! They have red eyes and sharp teeth. They move so fast you can't even see them coming! And you know the best part? Their favourite food is annoying little brothers!

Jasper gulped, eyeing the dark woods with trepidation. However, he remembered what his father had told him. We're Texans Jasper. Brave, strong and not afraid of anything. Don't forget that!

Jasper squared his shoulders and stood up straight. "I'm a Texan. We're tougher than anything! No over-grown cat is gonna eat me!" He quickly reached the fence and scrambled over the structure before shuffling across the leaf-strewn grass to the edge of the woods.

He gulped as he stood before the first tree. "I can do this. I can do this. There are no massive mountain lions."

He pushed past the holly bush and crept inside. "Misty? Misty? Here girl!" The young blond continued to walk forward, stepping over roots and slipping past large bushes. He walked on for what couldn't have been more than five minutes before he heard a high-pitched bark and laughter. Confused and worried, he quickly headed for where the sounds came from. "Misty?"

He skittered around a juniper shrub before blinking in shock as he saw before him another wooden fence and beyond it, another open field. Sitting only a few feet away inside the fence was a boy around his age. He had scruffy black hair and round glasses. What caught Jasper's attention though were the green eyes. He'd never seen someone with green eyes before.

The boy was laughing happily as Misty jumped on him, licking his face while her tail wagged cheerfully. The boy gently pushed the puppy off before picking up the stick "Okay, okay! Here girl, fetch!" He called, standing up and throwing the stick as far away as he could. Misty immediately ran after it, tripping over her paws a couple times before finally finding it and dragging it back.

Jasper quickly shook himself out of his surprise and wondered over to the fence, climbing up so he was sitting on top. "Hey!" he called, tying to get the boy's attention.

The green-eyed child stumbled in fright, nearly falling over. He swung around till his eyes finally found Jasper's blue ones. The boy jumped again before curiously tilting his head. "Who are you?"

Jasper frowned, remembering his mother's warning of no talking to strangers. Still, the boy was only his age. It couldn't hurt right? "I'm Jasper Whitlock. Who are you?"

The boy beamed, seemingly happy to have someone to talk to. "I'm Harvey Potter! Where did you come from? I've never seen you before."

Jasper shrugged, pointing over his shoulder. "Through there. My family lives on the other side," he explained while trying not to laugh as Harvey's eyes went wide in awe.

"In there? But I heard its full of monsters! And Dudley says its so big inside! You had to have walked for hours to get through!" Harry exclaimed in a breathy whisper, voice quivering in anticipation for a good story.

Jasper grinned, puffing out his chest in pride. "Nope, its not that big! It didn't take long at all. I didn't see any monster but I bet its because they know that I'm a strong Texan and that they couldn't beat me!"

Harvey laughed and jumped up and down in excitement. "Well, I'm a brave Texan too! Let's go have a look! Those monsters don't scare me!"

Jasper was about to agree, excited to go exploring with this new kid when he suddenly thought of something. "Where did you come from? My Pa's never said that anyone lives around here."

Harvey turned and pointed to a building off in the distance behind them. "I live over there."

Jasper looked back at the house in the distance and really took the time to observe it. His house was a humble, two-story cottage but this place looked more like a manor. It was huge and had to be at least three stories. There were twin, winding bushes on either side of the large double doors; elegantly craved out of a dark brown wood. The bricks were painted a creamy white and the garden was filled with flowers of every colour.

"Wow, you live there?" Jasper gaped in shock.

Harry nodded, smile dropping. "Yeah….."

Jasper frowned. "You don't sound happy about it." He couldn't even begin to wonder how someone couldn't like living there. It was like something from a fairy-tale.

Harvey blinked before forcing a grin. "It's nothing. So, I don't know any other kids our age. Well, except for my cousin but he's mean. Do you…want to be friends?"

Jasper beamed, jumping off the fence and racing over to the other boy. "Sure! I don't have any friends either. We can be friends though."

Harvey laughed in delight before giving him a big hug. "Yay!"

Jasper paused for a second, trying to think of what to do now, before another thought came to mind "Can I call you Harry instead? Harvey is so…" he scrunched up his nose in disgust, "grown-up!"

Harry burst out laughing and nodded. "Sure, can I call you Jazz?"

Jasper grinned. "Sure!"

Harry's eyes suddenly lit up with excitement. "So, do you want to play a game?"

Jasper nodded enthusiastically, trying to think of one of the games Dallas had taught him when….

"JASPER? JASPER, WHERE ARE YOU?"

The two friends turned around and stared into the trees where the sound came from.

Jasper deflated in disappointment. "Oh, that's my Pa. I better go."

"Oh," Harry mumbled, eyes downcast.

Jasper felt bad. He didn't mean to make his new friend upset. "We can play tomorrow though if you want. We could look around the forest or I could show you the stables!"

Harry blinked. "Stables?"

Jasper bounced on his feet, excitement returning. "Yeah! My Pa breeds and trains horses! We have heaps of them! He's going to teach me to ride soon!"

Harry's eyes lit up when he heard that. "Really? Do you….do you think he could teach me too?"

Jasper thought about it for a second before saying "Sure! I don't see why not?"

"JASPER?"

Harry sighed. "You better go, Jazz."

The blond haired boy sighed. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

Harry grinned. "Yeah, this time I'll meet you on your side of the woods!"

…

May 27th, 1996 – Austwick, England

Jasper smiled fondly at the memory. Neither he nor Harvey could have possibly known that day just how important their friendship would become. We we're both so innocent back then….

"Jasper?"

The soldier looked up sharply at the window. Outside he could see his adopted sister and long-time friend, Alice standing at the tree line. He quickly masked his expression as he pushed the box behind him. "Yeah?"

Jasper cursed his inattentiveness when he saw the concerned look on the small vampire's face. He never allowed himself to think back on his memories of his human life when the rest of his adopted family was around. The war, his past, Harvey; they were his memories and his alone. He didn't need Edward seeing anything nor did he want to worry the others. Great job major…

"Jasper, is everything okay?" Alice queried softly, a stark contrast from her usually bubbly nature.

Jasper felt guilty for worrying one of his oldest friends. He forced a grin and tried to push the memory of Harvey away. "Yes, everything is fine Alice. Was there something you wanted?"

He could sense from the pixie-like vampire's emotions that she didn't believe him. Still, Alice respected him enough not to push. She knew that Jasper would talk to her if he wanted to, not before. "Edward and I are going to see a movie. Do you want to come?"

Jasper tried not to grimace at the thought. While most of his family was well adjusted to the 'vegetarian' diet, Jasper had never been able to get a solid grip on his control. Human blood was something he had lived off of for so long. The terror and agony he felt from his victims had been the main driving force behind his desire to live off of animal blood instead. However, he had always struggled with controlling his thirst around humans, thanks in part to the onslaught of emotions he'd pick up on from those around him.

Truth be told though, it wasn't just the bloodlust that made him want to avoid going out with his adopted siblings. He had always felt alone, even with the others around. Alice tried to help but his hyper friend couldn't fill the void he felt; the void all vampires would feel until they found their mate. He wasn't the only one in his family to be alone; far from it really. Carlisle and Esme had each other and so did the goofball Emmett and his ice queen Rosalie. However; he, Alice and Edward were still mateless. The big difference was Alice and Edward's mates were out there, even if Edward denied it, but Jasper? He knew his mate was gone and never coming back.

"Thanks Alice but I'll pass. You and Edward go," he murmured.

Alice leapt up into the tree besides his window, perching delicately on the branch like a bird. "Jazz, are you sure you're okay? You know you can talk to me, right?"

Jasper nodded, even though he knew it was a lie. There were some thing he just couldn't talk about. Things that were his to know about and no one else's.

Alice grinned sorrowfully. She knew he was hurting, just like he always was at this time of year. They all worried but Jasper would never say what it was that had him so down. It was always this week of May. This week and the 31st of July that left her brother in such a terrible state. She wished he'd talk to her but knew him well enough to know that he wouldn't unless he wanted to. Instead of pressing him, she just gave him a comforting smile and left.

Jasper waited until the traces of her concern and sorrow left before he looked back into the box. He didn't think he could bring himself to look through the rest right now. However, something at the bottom caught his eye. Reaching in, he carefully pulled the figurine out with a shuddering breath. In his hands was a small, tin horse painted tan with a black mane and tail. One name escaped his lips before he could think.

"Jimber."

…

August 7th, 1854 – Houston, Texas

Jasper hauled himself up into the saddle with a huff. He was still too short to properly jump up like his father could but that didn't matter. Wonder snorted in discomfort but otherwise remained still, waiting for his rider to be seated properly. The young boy had almost gotten himself upright when his foot slipped out of the stirrups and he fell off, landing with an 'oof' in the dirt. Wonder whinnied in surprise and dashed off to the other side of the paddock, stomping his hoof agitatedly. To his left he heard boisterous laughter and turned to glare at his friend. "Shut up, Harry! At least I didn't need to use the fence to get on."

Harry, undeterred by the blond's fiery glare, continued to snicker in amusement. "True but I'm not the one covered in mud and dust, am I?"

A deeper chuckle from behind had both boys turning to watch as Austin, Jasper's father, approached the fence. Misty followed at his heels before curling up in a patch of shade to watch them all; the ever-present guard dog. Austin took off his hat, shaking the sweat out of his light brown hair and looked back and forth between the two with calm brown eyes. "Alright boys, enough. Jasper, get up and give it another try. Harry, if you're ready, give the jumps over there a go."

Jasper grumbled under his breath, trying to hide his grin as he got up and went to retrieve Wonder. Like he had promised Harry all those years ago, the two of them had been learning to ride together since they were five. Now, five years later, they were two of the best rider's their age in town. Harry was really good with show jumping while Jasper favoured barrel racing and cross-country. What they enjoyed more than anything though was simply exploring the Texas countryside on horseback. They didn't get to do it much yet but they knew one day they would.

Jasper once again attempted to get on Wonder's back, this time successfully, and he pulled the horse around so he could watch Harry attempt the course Austin had set up for today. The two of them had truly become the best of friends over the years. They both went to the same school, as it was in these small towns, but they hadn't really connected with any of the other children their age. Jasper's parents often said the two were like twins; when you found one, the other wasn't far behind. They hung out together every day. Sometimes they'd play together in the paddocks near the woods, other times they'd help Austin with the horses. Some days they could be found learning to ride, getting on Jasper's brothers nerves or mucking around at Jasper's house. The only thing they never did was visit Harry's house.

Jasper had begged his friend to let him see what was inside the huge manor on more than one occasion over the years. He never could understand why Harry was so against it. He knew that his friend lived with his Aunt and Uncle after his parents had been killed when he was 15 months old. He also knew that Harry had a cousin, Dudley, who was a major jerk. The two of them had gotten into a big fight with Dudley two years ago when the older boy had tried to bully them into giving him money to buy something in town. It ended up with Dudley getting a broken nose and running back home, squealing like a little piggy in their opinion. That was when Jasper had finally got the answers he had been looking for. Unfortunately it wasn't the kind of answers he had wanted though.

When Harry didn't turn up for a few days he had gone to check on him himself. The front door of the manor was open so he stepped in and went to see if he could find Harry. The eight year old had never felt so much anger before in his life as he did when he saw his friend cowering in a corner, bruised and bloodied as Vernon Dursley stood over him, a fist raised to strike the child again while shouting at him for hurting their son. Off to the side, Dudley and Petunia both stood and watched, neither making even a slight attempt to protect Harry. In fact, they both wore smug grins as the child whimpered in a mix of fright and pain.

Some might say it was a stupid idea to jump in. He was only a small child. He stood no chance against the portly man. However, he knew he couldn't just walk away. What if Vernon had killed Harry? Jasper didn't remember much of what was said. He knows there was a lot of shouting, a lot of screaming and bellowed words. He did remember the backhand to the face though; the sharp burst of pain across the left of his face and the absolute shock that followed was nothing like he'd ever felt before. He hadn't really thought the obsess man would hit him and he felt clueless as to what to do next. In the end he didn't need to though for the next thing he knew Harry was up and lunging for Vernon. Jasper didn't think twice as he joined in. They shoved him the best they could and flew from the house. They didn't stop until they had reached Jasper's home.

The rest of the afternoon had been a blur of action. He remembered Dallas' horrified face when he spotted the two bruised boys scramble in the door. He could still hear his mother's scream of shock and the sound of the smashing glass as she dropped her drink. He remembered his father's furious ranting while Caroline patched them up. He remembered the first ever sleepover he and Harry had and how he wished it had been under better circumstances. He recalled how he'd cried that night, unable to get over the fact that that had to be how his friend had been treated all this time and he didn't know. He remembered how Harry told him it was okay. He also remembered promising his friend he'd never let him be hurt like that again.

The next day though almost made the horrific experience of the pervious day worth it. Vernon had stormed up to the Whitlock's doorstep, demanding his nephew be returned at once. The bastard hadn't seen the fist coming till it had already broken his nose. Harry and Jasper had watched as Austin punched the stunned, whale-like man three more times before tugging him forward by the shirt and snarling "If you ever strike my son again, I will get the shotgun and pump you full of buckshot. You got it Dursley? And I had better never see so much as a scratch on Harvey ever again or they will never find your body. Understand?"

Needless to say, Jasper never got to visit the Dursley home ever again but he was perfectly okay with that. Harry hadn't gotten a single smack from them ever since and that was all Jasper cared about. The black-haired boy had tried to tell him off for getting himself hurt but Jasper had brushed it off. That's what friends are for after all. They'd been closer than ever since then.

"Alright Harvey, let's see how fast you can clear the course this time." Austin's voice cut into his inner musing and Jasper quickly trotted over to the start of the course to wait for his turn.

Harry peeked at him over his shoulder with a cocky grin. "Don't worry Jazz, I'll try to give you a fair chance at beating my time."

Jasper rolled his eyes in indignation, secretly glad that the Dursely's abuse hadn't been enough to squash his friend's spirit. "Please, by all means, give it your best shot. You'll need to if you want to beat me."

Harry smirked challengingly before he was off, a cloud of dust billowing into the air in his wake. Jasper watched, mesmerised as the green-eyed boy flew through the course, only tapping one jump towards the end. He was a natural, moving so easily with the horse as if they shared some kind of mental link. It was always impressive to watch. He cheered right along with his father as Harry finished up, trotting over to the trough so Shandy, Dallas' Palomino, could get a drink.

Austin clapped his son's friend on the shoulder as he walked over. "Excellent Harvey! Absolutely excellent! Just watch your approach on that last jump and you should be ready for the big ones soon enough."

Harvey beamed, gently stroking Shandy's mane, "Thanks! I can't wait to get out there and compete for real!" He turned to Jasper and raised an eyebrow. "Well, what are you waiting for Jazz? Scared I've already won?" He added teasingly.

Jasper flipped him off when he was sure his father wasn't looking. "Ha! In your dreams Potter!"

He flicked the reins and then he and Wonder were flying through the paddock. Jasper laughed joyously at the feeling. There was nothing better he thought then riding on the back of a running horse. It was the closest one could get to truly flying. It was freedom, it was exhilaration; it was perfect.

The two boys spent the rest of the morning practicing the course; playfully taunting each other and trying to see who was the fastest.

It was only when the sun just reached it's peak that they realised Austin had been missing for a while. They slowed to a walk, exchanging surprised looks. They weren't usually allowed to ride unsupervised. "Where'd your Pa go Jazz?"

Jasper shrugged, just as confused as Harry. "I dunno. Let's go look." They hopped off the horses, tying the reins to the fence by the water trough and quickly clambered over the gate. Misty got up and followed them, racing back and forth between one smell and another. They searched the stables but couldn't find anything. The house was empty too. They were nearing the top paddocks and the main path to the edge of the property when they saw Austin walking down from the front gates. Next to him was Jasper's brother, fifteen-year-old Dallas. Both were walking a horse on lead. The friends exchanged confused looks before racing over to the older men. "Hey Pa, Dallas! What'cha got there?" Jasper called.

Austin chuckled as the kids nearly crashed into him whilst skidding to a halt. Dallas smirked in amusement, staying quiet and allowing Austin to explain.

"Well boys; you've been doing such a good job helping look after the horses and you've both shown exceptional talent with riding. I thought it was about time you had your own horses. You've earned it. They're both stallions, only a year old."

Jasper froze, not believing what his father had just said. My own horse? Riding Wonder was great but he'd wanted his own horse for a while now. There was nothing quite like the bond between a horse and their rider. He'd seen it with Shandy and Dallas, Wonder and Austin and Caroline and her horse, Calypso. Now he could finally have the same thing.

The horse his father was leading was a buckskin with a golden-brown coat and a black mane and tail. The horse Dallas held was a grey and white paint with a multi-toned mane and tail of the same colours. Jasper looked over the two. They were both beautiful stallions but there was something about the buckskin that just told him this was his horse. Please let Pa give this one to me.

It didn't seem like he'd had to worry anyway as Harry slowly crept over to the paint, a look of awe, shock and adoration on his face as plain as day. "You-you got me a horse too?"

Austin smiled gently. "Of course. You two have worked so hard and proven time and time again that you are ready for this kind of responsibility. We might not have a lot of money to spare but this I could put money aside for."

The Whitlock patriarch only just had enough time to hand the buckskin off to Dallas before he was tackled by the two kids in a fierce hug. A tinkling giggle cut of the frenzy of 'thank you's' as Caroline strolled over to the group. "I take it they liked their present?"

"Yes!" Jasper and Harry cheered simultaneously.

She clapped her hands in delight. "I knew you would. So, what are you going to name them boys?"

Harry stepped up to the paint, taking the lead from Dallas and staring up at the strong horse. He tilted his head; studying it with so much focus that Jasper couldn't help but laugh. Finally Harry nodded, satisfied and said, "Thunder, he's Thunder."

Caroline brushed a hand down Thunder's mane approvingly "That does suit him, doesn't it? Jazz, what about you?"

Jasper looked at his horse quizzically. He thought over some of the names he knew. Owen? Jed? Elvis? Rebel? Dwayne? Whiskey? None of them seemed to work. Then he thought of two. Timber maybe? Or Johnny?

Harry looked at him curiously. "Well Jazz?"

Jasper huffed. Timber? Johnny? Timber? Johnny? "Jimber?"

Jasper paused when he realised what he said before groaning. Wait for it….

"Jimber?" Harry cried as laughter bubbled in his chest. "You're naming him Jimber?"

Jasper blushed in frustration and embarrassment. "What? No I meant…"

"Doesn't matter. I'm calling him Jimber for now on." Harry grinned like a Cheshire cat.

Jasper rolled his eyes, even as his family joined in the laughter at the antics between the two. "That is NOT his name Harry!"

…

May 27th, 1996 – Austwick, England

Jasper laughed with a pained smile as he thought back to that day. It was one of his favourite memories of his family. He could still remember how in the weeks that passed he tried to convince Harry that his horse was named Timber, NOT Jimber. In the end though, Harry's name stuck. Though he would never have admitted it out loud, he grew fond of the new name. Jimber was as unique a name as the horse it was given to.

He looked back at the figurine in his hand. It was a present from Harry that following year. It was a near perfect match to Jimber. Harry had been so proud when he handed it to him. I got it made in town! Mrs Stonewell did it for me. Do you like it Jazz?

He had. It was one of his most precious possessions; one of the few things he had retrieved from his home after being turned. He looked back at the box once more. He knew so many more things lingered inside; bits and pieces of a life long lost. Each one connected to memories he both cherished and dreaded. A part of him wanted to pull out those pieces and relive those days once more. Another part of him felt mentally exhausted. He wasn't prepared to revisit those moments right now. He'd try again tomorrow, and the day after that and the day after that. Just as he has every year since he left the Southern Vampire Wars.

It had become tradition for him to do this. Every year he'd pull out 'The Box' and look through the things inside. Some years he'd look at almost all of it. Other times he could only get through a few items. He didn't know what the others would think of his actions. Alice would likely encourage it. He knew she always felt down when reminded that she'd never get to remember her own past. Emmett would likely consider it a waste of time himself; the most carefree vampire of their family had long ago accepted that part of his life was over and never looked back. However, he wouldn't judge Jasper for it. Rosalie would likely scoff at the sentimentality and tell him to let it go. She, herself, hated thinking about her human life and saw it as an extreme sore spot no one was allowed to bring up. Edward would likely warn him not to get too caught up in the past and leave it at that. Carlisle and Esme would probably try to talk to him about it. They'd support his choice to delve into the past if that was what he wished but would probably also be concerned that it was unhealthy to still be so deeply effected by his human memories. Jasper couldn't blame them for that either. He himself wasn't sure if what he did was more therapeutic or harmful. In the end, he didn't care.

Sometimes he wondered if it would be better to have let them go long ago; Harvey, Dallas, his parents, Jimber, Misty, the Confederate Army. And yet, when he tried to forget he found he just couldn't. For a long time, he'd thought Maria had broken him. However, it was the memories of a strong voice telling him 'chin up Jazz! Texans don't give up," his mother's warm hugs and gentle reassurance, the feeling of flying through the countryside on a buckskin named Jimber and the brightest green-eyes he'd ever seen that brought him back.

And for that, he could never let the memories fade.

N/A - So, this prologue was surprisingly a pain in the ass to write. I have the story planned out and other parts from the future chapters written but kicking things off? Not as easy as I'd thought. I hope it was okay.