- - - Here's my next big story! I know I haven't written any in a while. But I recently fell in love with the Jasper/Bella pairing. I really hope you like it. It starts a little slow but will heat up soon I promise.

xoxo

Nikki

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

Pairing : Jasper/Bella

Setting: I would say somewhere in the middle of Eclipse. After Edward proposes but before they even learn that Victoria is coming with the newborns.

Rating: M for lemons and minor language.

XO Chapter 1 OX

"Beauty captures their attention, personality captures their heart."

XOXOXO

Bella's POV -

The morning had started out, just like any other. Well, like any other if you happened to be madly in love with a vampire, that is.

And now here I was a mere 10 hours later...Waiting for disaster to find me...

"Why don't you just change her now?! They'll see that we took the step to change her and leave!" I heard Alice's voice trill above the panicked voices of the rest of my family. I watched her shoot daggers in Jacob's direction. Appropriately blaming him for her lack of vision.

"You can't be sure of that, Alice. Aro isn't with them and Jane is dying to take things into her own hands. I don't think that changing her now will be enough. Our only choice is to run." Edward growled at his own words. His grip hadn't let up on my hand since Alice had announced the news.

"You know there is no way that we could outrun them, they are already too close." Carlisle was too deep in thought to even open his eyes while he shot down Edwards idea.

"This is stupid! Alice needs to be able to see the outcome of our decisions. Jacob you HAVE to leave!" Jasper bared his fangs at the werewolf. "You're attempt at protecting Bella is going to lead to her demise!"

Jacob stood firm, "You think I'm just going to leave so that you can turn her into a filthy bloodsucker against her will?! You're crazy! I'll stay here and fight."

Jasper snarled, "You're no match for them. All of us together are no match for them! You're condemning us all!"

Jacob tightened his jaw, but didn't budge. For some reason I couldn't bring myself to tell him to leave. I couldn't bring myself to speak. Or move. Or breath.

Emmett stepped in beside Jasper, "I guess we'll just have to move you ourselves!" Twin growls erupted from the brother's throats.

"Stop it! That's not going to help anything!" Esme speaking up caused everyone to jump. She hadn't spoken either since the shock of the visit from the Volturi had hit her. "Jacob you SHOULD leave. We cannot, and will not fight them. You being here is not only putting you in danger, it is endangering my entire family! We will not change her while you are gone. Now please for me; for Bella! Leave!" She glared at him with a ferociousness that rivaled anything I had ever seen. The love she had for her family plainly stamped across her face.

Jacob's jaw loosened, he hesitated, his gaze shifted to Carlisle, "You promise...Do you promise me Carlisle that no one will change her while I'm gone?"

Carlisle opened his eyes and looked up at him, then glanced at Edward, "I promise you, Jacob."

Jacob hesitated again, he bared his teeth at Edward for a fraction of a second, and then he was gone. A few moments later, in the distant woods we heard a wolf howl. A warning.

As soon as Jacob howled, Alice stiffened next to me. We all looked to her and waited out the apparent vision she was having. After a few moments she relaxed from her stiffened pose, but hung her head, "We're too late." She whispered.

In the same moment, Edward snarled and turned toward the edge of the forest. His hand pulled me behind him, and his body tensed. I doubt he even realized that he was crushing my hand. But I couldn't form the words to complain. Fear had stricken me in the worst way. We were out of time, the Volturi had arrived.

Jasper's POV -

They were moving almost too noisily, as if they wanted us to know they were coming, as if they were hoping we would run, or maybe they were just trying to torture us with the knowledge that the end was near. I reached my arm around Alice's back, pulling her to me. Her head still hung. She was silent. As all of us were. There were no words. Carlisle, probably the only one able to move at this point, gripped Esme's hand once and then released it, walking in front of Edward and Bella. Probably hoping that Jane and Alec would remember his and Aro's friendship throughout the years, and take mercy on us. 'It won't help!' my mind shouted without provocation.

"Why so tense, friends?" a mocking voice shouted from within the woods. Jane's face was finally within vision a devilish grin lit up her sour features. From the corner of my eye I saw Bella tense and look around as if trying to figure out where the voice had come from, she couldn't see Jane yet. I almost smiled, almost. I would have sent a wave of calm over my family, but they should be tense. They should be cautious. Alert. For Bella, however, I sent a wave of calm. Her fear was getting to me. I shouldn't have tried to comfort her, however. It was her fault we were in this mess. I understand that it was Edward that had stalled her change. But, she should have just married him when he first offered. They should have flew straight to Vegas, they should have drove to the nearest church and done it, been married, if that was really what she wanted, if she was what he really wanted, he shouldn't have hesitated. They shouldn't have worried about a silly piece of paper that declared marriage. They should have just done it! And now, chances are, most of us weren't going to make it out alive. At the very least, she won't make it out alive. I would mourn for her loss, but secretly I would be happy if she was all we lost, if our family stayed intact. Edward roared and his hand curled into a fist. I didn't know if this was because of my last thought, or because the Volturian guard had finally reached the edge of the woods.

"Jane, what a surprise." Carlisle smiled a huge, fake smile. Jane glanced at Alice in my arm. It was no surprise, she knew.

"Let's cut the pleasantries Carlisle, you know why we're here." She paused and inhaled deeply through her nose. She closed her eyes, and sat still for a moment, "And we already have our answer." Obviously she smelled Bella's scent as strongly as I did right now. Her. Very. Human. Scent.

"Aro will be so disappointed." Felix gently lowered the hood on his crimson robe. His gleaming teeth glimmering from between his callous lips.

"Please spare yourselves the tragedy of your families deaths and just hand over the girl." Jane smiled a brilliant smile. She knew we would never make it that easy. Carlisle would never hand Bella over, Edward would never let him. And the rest of us, well, we would stay and fight. Even Rosalie, who didn't care whether Bella lived or died. We would stay and fight and try to protect those we loved.

Carlisle tensed, "You know we can't do that Jane." Something about the way Jane and Felix smiled gave the impression that they were very much hoping that it wouldn't be that easy.

I took in our options...There were about 20 of them. Most of them in hoods. I noticed the small form of what was most likely Alec standing slightly behind Jane.

"Just the girl, Jane." A sickeningly high pitched voice rang out from underneath one of the hoods. Jane immediately frowned, and everyone watched her raise her arm within a fraction of a second and within the same second Edward fell to the ground, still clasping Bella's hand. Bella let out a shriek of terror. Either from Edward writhing in pain, or because he was still clasping her hand, apparently unable to let go. I shuddered when I heard the fragile bones in her hand crack. But everyone seemed stunned into stone. Barely a second had passed, I reluctantly released my hold on Alice. Who still hadn't looked up. She knew something. I quickly went to Bella's side and struggled to break Edward's hold on Bella's hand as he bucked and struggled on the ground in pain. Once her hand was free she knelt at his side.

"Stop it! Stop it! Just take me! You can have me!" She screamed at Jane. Then I felt it, the cloud that was Alec's power coming for my family. The ability to incapacitate all of us. It had already covered Carlisle and Esme and they stood dumbstruck, leaving a slack expression on their faces. Without thinking, I grabbed Bella around the waist and pulled her away from the cloud as Edwards writhing stopped abruptly.

One second we stood by Edwards form, the next we stood about 20 feet behind my family now while they all stood unmoving, covered in Alec's power. Bella kicked and pulled away from me, she wanted to run forward and sacrifice herself to them to save our family. Why didn't I let her? Why was I still holding her away? It had been all of 15 seconds since Edward had first fell. And the fog had covered the family. I could feel Alec strain to push the cloud further to stop us both as well.

Suddenly, a burning fire hit me, I immediately let go of Bella as I fell to the floor in agony. Apparently Jane had turned her attention to me. Bella stepped toward me at first, with tears streaming from her eyes, but then she began to move away, toward the Volturi, but again I couldn't let her! Even when I felt as if my mind would explode with the searing pain that Jane was inflicting upon me I still managed to keep my priorities in order, my hand reached out and snatched Bella by the ankle, effectively tripping her. She hit the ground hard, struggling to free herself from my hold, but I would not let her go. Something deep within me was telling me to hold on, although there was absolutely no hope, even though I knew we would all die. That nothing was stopping them from walking right up and ripping my arm off while stealing Bella away. I couldn't let her go. The pain increased. I struggled to hold on to Bella without crushing her tiny ankle in my grasp. Every ounce of my energy was being used just to keep my mind on detaining Bella. Somewhere else, deep in my mind I noticed that the Volturi were advancing, they would take her any second. Then...The pain stopped. A growling started. And suddenly ten furry, ravenous, creatures jumped into the clearing. There pounding paws shook the ground that Bella and I sat upon. I closed my eyes, perhaps there was a chance. Hope flooded through my dry veins as I pulled Bella to me. Wrapping my arms around her while still sitting on the ground. I searched for Edward. He had to come and detain her himself while I helped fight!

I found him in an instant, he and the rest of my family fought with the werewolves.

"No! NO!! Stop! Just let them take me!! PLEASE!" Bella's tormented shrieks pulled at my heartstrings. I couldn't let her go though, she would...

Do exactly what I should WANT her to do! Walk up and stop the fighting! Sacrifice herself! Save my family, my Alice! Why didn't I let her go!?

"Edward!" I snarled. He needed to come and grab this girl before I let her sacrifice herself. He needed to let me help our family fight. Help protect them! But he wouldn't listen, "Edward now!" I shouted, he didn't even flinch. Didn't even look in my direction. I stopped trying to shout to him, I moved my attention to Bella.

"Bella listen to me." I tried to use my most authoritative voice and let a wave of calm engulf us both. Suddenly it felt strange for me to be holding her up against me this way, her sitting between my legs as my arms kept her arms tight against her body. In an instant I flipped her around so she was on her knees looking into my face. My hands still gripped her arms, holding her still. "LISTEN!" I shook her once. She stopped fighting against me but stared back into my eyes with nothing but anguish marring her beautiful features. "Bella," I said softer this time, "They aren't going to stop fighting just because you run over there." She started to argue but I stopped her, "No Bella. They'll kill you in a heartbeat. And then continue to fight the rest of us. Your death means nothing to them now. I need you to stay here so that I can go fight, can you do that Bella?" I waited very impatiently for her answer. Sending fresh waves of calm lapping over each of us.

Fresh tears rolled down her face, "I don't want - " the terror in my eyes must have stopped her sentence. Felix was charging at the two of us. I stood in an instant and pulled Bella behind me, I crouched low preparing to pounce at him, but something hit him from the side. A blur of black and bronze. Edward.

"EDWARD!" Bella shrieked again. Two more of the Volturi's guards advanced on Edward lunging at him from what seemed like thin air. I let go of Bella's hand and ran to help him, but in the same instant a sickening ripping sound tore through the air. Followed by another and another. They were tearing Edward apart. They quickly finished. And then Felix and the two unknown vampires turned their attention to Bella and I. Time seemed to move in slow motion. Behind the three guards I saw the remains of Edward Cullen, now a small pile of pale rock and black cloth. My stomach reeled. If I had the ability to throw up, I would have. I heard air rushing behind me as Bella began to fall and I quickly turned, catching her with one arm and in the same movement I flung her over my shoulder and took off full speed into the woods. I heard the lithe footsteps of two guards behind me, I couldn't ease up for a second. I couldn't hesitate one moment. I could only run, run and try to protect the precious cargo on my shoulder that had cost me my brother and god knows who else in my family. But I had to keep running. Because protecting Bella was all I could do for him now. The smell of smoke hit my nose, and I tried not to think of it being my brothers remains being blackened and charred in the clearing far behind us.

Bella's POV -

My eyes fluttered open, to a canopy of green leaves above my head. The ground felt wet and sticky under my body. As if I was being sucked down into very thick mud. I sat up slowly, vertigo hitting me in an instant. I couldn't remember dreaming, I looked around and saw a figure sitting beneath a tree a few feet from where I lay. His long white fingers gripping his thick blond hair in a painful looking way. His head was down, hiding his face, and every few seconds his hands seemed to grip his hair more tightly, if that was possible. Jasper looked horrible, I tried to think of why he would be hurting. And it all hit me full force. I flopped back down to the Earth curling up in a small ball upon the unforgiving cold ground. My hands curled inward grasping at my shirt or my hair, whatever they could find. A stabbing pain shot up my arm coming from my left hand, but I didn't care. All I could think of was Edward writhing in pain, Edward lunging at the monsters, Felix and two other members of the guard ripping him to pieces in the clearing. I heard a shriek of unimaginable pain echo off the trees around me. I realized shortly after that it had been me that made the noise. My body began to convulse with the memories and sadness that struck me. And my stomach heaved as I threw up yellow bile onto the mud. My stomach heaved again, nothing came this time, I hadn't eaten. My body convulsed again, my mind screamed in my head, he can't be gone, he can't be gone, he can't be gone...

Finally the tears came and my body wracked in sobs. I couldn't even bring myself to ask Jasper what had happened, why we were sitting here in the middle of the woods. What was going on. Who was dead. I was afraid of the answers. I choked out another sob, not even bothering to compose myself. But as I did I heard another groan echo with my own. I stopped breathing for a moment. Of course Jasper was suffering too. And it was my fault. My fault, my fault...

Somehow I gathered enough strength to look over at Jasper, he hadn't lifted his head, but obviously he knew I was awake. His clothes were tattered and the light that managed to slip through the canopy of leaves above hit his skin, throwing rainbows off of the hundreds of bite marks that marred the skin of his arms legs and neck. For a moment his pain overshadowed my own and I was able to articulate words,

"Jas...Jasper?" My voice sounded hoarse and very dry. He didn't look up, he didn't say a word. "Jasper...who..." I couldn't bring myself to finish my sentence, who was left? Who was still alive, and most importantly who had died because of me?

He took in a deep breath, "Edward...Didn't make it. Two of the wolves were destroyed as well." His voice wasn't the usual masculine ring, it was broken and rough. He took another slow breath, "They want us to stay away for a little while longer, while they..." He choked back a sob, "while they...Clean up. Then we'll head back toward Washington."

I stopped breathing. I wonder how far we had come how long Jasper had carried me to try and protect me from the Volturi. I wondered how long it would take for the pain of Edward being gone to hit me again. But I knew Jasper was keeping the pain from me. I wondered in my state of calm which two wolves had been lost. and the pain hit me again. But Jasper was obviously working very hard to keep my pain and sadness from me. I wondered if that was what I really wanted. Wouldn't I rather feel the pain? Would the pain kill me if Jasper weren't here to send fresh waves of calm over me?

"Jasper, please." I whispered, "You can't keep it from me forever." As soon as the words left my mouth, I felt the calm vanish. The pain and sorrow hit me full force and I gripped the ground with my fingers, fresh dirt digging deep under my finger nails. Fresh currents of pain shot up my arm from my broken hand. I let my face fall to the side, not caring that the mud would cling to my face and hair, the sadness was overpowering and refused to let me even take a breath. I lay there and finally my body reacted to the lack of oxygen. A sharp hissing noise filled the air when I slowly pulled oxygen in through my clenched teeth. I would never live again, the pain would never leave, my mind would never clear. I would never see Edward again.

It was day one.

XOXOXO

So what do ya think? Lemme know! (By reviewing of course!) I will be updating frequently! Considering I have nothing else to do but daydream about this story! Lots of Jasper/Bella goodness coming.

Yours truly,

Nikki