SKIND DEEP
nineteen | epilogue

Imogen glanced around the glass house that had been her home for the previous two and a half months. She hadn't lived at home, in fear of murdering one or both of her parents. Either from drinking their blood - something which she actually hadn't had much of a problem with when controlling her hunger - or from projecting their worst fear into their heads accidentally and killing them from their fear. Humans were more fragile than the supernatural, so while vampires would just feel slight shock and slight pain, there is a chance that the fear may be too much for a human and cause them to experience a heart attack due to said fear being projected into their head.

She had been home to visit, but only agreed to see her parents under the supervision of Sam Uley and another shapeshifter, as two would be able to take her down if anything were to occur. The bond between herself and her parents had grown stronger with her being a vampire. Yes, it was what they had wanted and what she hadn't, but she had decided that as she was to now live forever, she wouldn't waste the time she had left with her parents like her childhood had been wasted.

And what she was doing now was actually her mother's idea, something which she had taken into account and had decided to do.

Leave. 

Imogen was terrified of what she could do. She didn't want to continue high school, knowing that she could accidentally tap into the fear of a fellow student and murder them. 

Her own fear had stopped her from going to Prom.

She had outright refused to go. Especially as she had only been a vampire for two months and had missed school since the day she became a new-born. It wasn't exactly the best idea to go, especially with her eye color fluctuating between red and a mixture of browns. And it wouldn't go unnoticed that she no longer needed her oxygen tank.

Sighing, she made her way to the door. No goodbyes she had decided. It would be too much to bare. And with them being immortals, she wouldn't be surprised to come across the Cullens once again.

However, she stopped where she stood when she saw Jasper staring at her. She hadn't heard him or smelt him. There had been no indication to his presence.

But now, staring at him, she could see herself from his point of view, leaving without a word. And it hurt her. She was feeling his fear, seeing it actually play out before him. 

"You're leaving?" he asked, his voice seeming to crack slightly, instead of the cool voice he normally spoke with. 

Tears would have brimmed at her eyes had she still been human. She rose an eyebrow and stated, "Alice." He just nodded, confirming that Alice had seen her leaving and had warned Jasper of it. He hadn't moved an inch and continued staring at her with golden eyes. She sighed and took a deep breath, even though she didn't need it. "I have to," she stated, hand tightening on the suitcase that contained clothes instead of the oxygen tank she once had.

She knew he wanted to ask why, but instead he asked, "Where to?"

She once again sighed and looked down at her hand gripping the suitcase, no longer being able to look at the hurt that was emanating from his eyes. They had become close these last few months, closer than they had been before, with Jasper having been the newest edition to the Cullen family and understanding the fear that Imogen held. He could feel her emotions after all. "There's a pack down south." 

His eyebrows scrunched up in confusion, "A pack?"

She gave him a tight-lipped smile and stated, "My mother knew a few of the shapeshifters from the pack down south back in the day. They said they'd help."

"Help?" 

She brought her free hand up to rub her neck and looked into his eyes once again, head tilting slightly to the side. "I can't stay here any longer. I'm scared that I'll hurt someone, or worse, one of you. And I, I just can't bare the thought of that."

He stated simply, "You're hurting me now."

She just nodded, looking down, breaking eye contact once again. "I know." She imagined the tear that would've slipped down her cheek, and she brought her hand up instinctively to wipe away a tear that did not fall, that would never fall again.

She heard footsteps heading in her direction and felt a hand on her chin, pulling her face up so that her eyes would once again connect with Jasper's. He just asked, instead of pleading her to stay like he wanted to, "How long will you be gone?"

Imogen shook her head in his grasp, his hand still holding her chin, "I don't know." She could see that Jasper was doing everything he could do to not let any tears fall from his own. She grasped his hand, taking it away from her chin and holding to tightly in her own, "Just until I know that I'm not a risk to your family."

He shook his head, a small smile gracing his lips, "Our family."

She chuckled at that and glanced down at their hands. Taking another deep breath, she stated, "Our family," nodding her head while she did so. 

Imogen then did the last thing she wanted to do, and let go of his hand.

He moved to her side, clearing the path to the door, letting her go. 

For now.

He leaned down slightly, wrapping an arm around her back, and softly brushing her hair around her ear. She felt the ghost of a breath on her ear, causing an involuntary shiver go down her spine. "Come back to us, to me."

She turned her face towards his, the distance between their faces almost none existent. She hesitated for a second, before going on to her tip toes to place a soft kiss on his sharp cheek.

Taking another deep breath out of habit, she turned and headed towards the door, confident in her steps. As she reached her hand out to open the door, she looked back over at Jasper, stood in the spot she had left him, slight shock and happiness gracing his features. His eyes caught hers and she winked at him, a small smile on her lips, "Goodbye. For now."

He smiled sadly, watching her turn back to the glass door and opening it, walking out and letting the door slam shut behind her. 

Imogen took in one more deep breath, looking at the woods that surrounded the glass house, and then towards the sky, where the sun shone brightly through the minimal cloud cover. 

She knew, that even though she was leaving the glass house now, she would see it again. She would be back, when she was ready. When she could put her fears behind her...when she had discovered who she had become.