A/N - Hi everyone, this is my first fanfic story so I hope it is alright! Please review, no flames please!! Enjoy! x

Bella's Birthday – Jasper's POV

I followed Alice around holding the huge box of pink candles. She set them over every flat surface in the room, surrounding the crystal bowls of roses. Esme followed behind us lighting them until the room glowed with flickering candle light. Alice spun around to admire her work.

"Perfect!" she giggled and skipped over to the white-clothed table, arranging the presents into a small pile. "She's going to love it!"

I gave her a questioning glance. Bella hadn't wanted to make a big deal out of her birthday but Alice had persuaded her to come round for a party.

She danced over to me and stood on her tiptoes to kiss my cheek. I looked into her eyes; they were alight with excitement, shining butterscotch in the candle light. Her happiness was seeping into me like usual and filling me with her joy. I leant down and kissed her softly, feeling her love matching mine.

"Will you get Em and Rose; Edward will be back with the birthday girl any second." She whispered and I slipped out of the room.

Carlisle passed me on the stairs and lightly patted my arm. I could feel his sympathy for Bella when he saw the living room.

"Alice," he scolded gently, "You know Bella doesn't want too much of a fuss."

I chuckled and continued up the stairs to Emmett and Rosalie's room. A sudden wave of love and pleasure made me stop in my tracks however. I rolled my eyes and cleared my throat loudly.

"Edward and Bella are almost here. Alice says come downstairs."

I heard a low growl from Rosalie as Emmett replied, "We'll be 2 minutes."

I returned to the living room, smiling at Esme and Carlisle and slipping an arm around Alice's waist. Emmett and Rosalie joined us soon after.

As we heard Bella's truck pull up to the house I felt Bella's apprehension and dread. Edward opened the door laughing softly at something Bella had said. He guided her into the living room and we greeted her with a loud chorus of "Happy Birthday Bella!"

I took a deep lungful of air and held my breath, not wanting to smell the hot blood of my brother's girlfriend. I could sense her distress as she looked around the room at Alice's decorations. I would have sent her calming waves but I was struggling to keep myself calm. Alice slid her hand into mine and squeezed it encouragingly.

Esme stepped forward and hugged Bella, kissing her forehead and Carlisle put an arm around her shoulders.

"Sorry about this, Bella" he stage-whispered. "We couldn't rein Alice in." I tried not to use my air supply by laughing as Alice pouted at Carlisle.

Emmett looked at Bella and frowned.

"You haven't changed at all," he said with mock disappointment. "I expected a perceptible difference, but here you are, red-faced just like always."

Bella's face flushed even darker red as she said, "Thanks a lot, Emmett."

Then I felt the mischief seep from Emmett, "I have to slip outside for a second–" he winked at Alice. "Don't do anything funny while I'm gone." And he ran out to the front door to Bella's truck, to install the stereo that was a present from him, Rosalie and me.

"I'll try." Bella mumbled.

Alice let go of my hand and skipped to Bella's side. I kept back, as far from Bella as I could get without it seeming rude, but I smiled at her. I felt her slight annoyance that I was avoiding her, but she quickly overwrote her thoughts to become understanding, she knew it was hard for me.

"Time to open presents," Alice declared and, taking Bella's elbow, led her to the table by Edward's piano with the shiny packages on.

"Alice," Bella sighed, "I know I told you I didn't want anything–"

"But I didn't listen," was Alice's smug reply. She took Bella's camera out of her hands and put the big, silver present in its place.

Bella read the tag, then ripped off the paper and stared at the stereo box. I felt confusion fill her as she opened the box and found it empty.

"Um … thanks."

I couldn't help laughing. Even Rosalie smiled but I could sense that she wasn't going to explain, so I said "It's a stereo for you truck, Emmett's installing it right now so that you can't return it." But that was my air supply used up. I took another hesitant breath and tried not to flinch as Bella's scent, which had now filled the room, burned down my throat.

"Thanks, Jasper, Rosalie," she said to us with a grin then called, "Thanks Emmett!" We heard Emmett laughing and I felt a flow of genuine happiness from Bella as she laughed along with him.

"Open mine and Edward's next," Alice trilled, holding out the wrapped CD she had made of Edward playing the piano.

"You promised." Bella glared at Edward.

Just then Emmett bounded back in. "Just in time!" he crowed and pushed over to stand between me and Rosalie. We had all drifted closer to get a better look.

"I didn't spend a dime," Edward murmured to Bella as he brushed a strand of hair from her face.

She sighed and turned to Alice. "Give it to me."

Emmett chuckled with delight.

Bella took the present from Alice and stuck her finger under the edge of the paper.

I was just taking another shallow breath when suddenly Bella muttered "Shoot," and pulled her finger away from the paper.

White hot desire filled my head as a tiny drop of blood oozed from the paper cut. I lunged.

"NO!" Edward roared. He flung Bella back across the room then threw himself at me. I heard the shatter of glass behind us as I slammed into his solid body. A feral snarl ripped from my throat as I snapped at the face in front of mine, blocking me from the hot sweet blood I craved.

She had fallen against the jagged shards of glass and a huge gash was gushing blood from her arm. The flood of my family's thirst crashed down on me and I shoved against the figure before me, straining to get to the helpless girl, to drink her blood, to satisfy my ever-present thirst, now intensified by the torrent of emotions pouring into me. The hunger and need for blood from the other vampires in the room, the terror from the girl lying bleeding on the floor, the horror of the oldest vampire standing protectively over her.

Then I felt strong arms grab me from behind, dragging me away. I struggled, my eyes never leaving the blood that ran down the girl's wrist onto the floor. I bared my teeth at her and growled.

"Emmett, Rose, get Jasper outside." I heard a quite voice say from, what sounded, very far off.

The grip around me tightened, "Come on, Jasper." And I felt myself being pulled away. I twisted round until I could snap at the vampire who held me. His thirst was nowhere near as strong as mine but it still seeped into me and I writhed, trying to break his steel grip and get to the blood.

Someone stepped in front of me and I could no longer see the bleeding girl. But I could still smell her; the seductive scent tearing at my throat in white hot agony.

I was wrestled from the room, and through a huge, glass door, grisly snarls still rumbling deep in my chest.

The cool, night air hit me in the face, its smell clear and fresh, but I could still smell the blood, so close, just inside the house. I wrenched myself free of the restraining hands that had loosened now we were outside. Fighting them as I clawed my way back towards the house. I was ripping the strong vampire's hands off my sweater and growling at the two female vampires who blocked the door when a fourth vampire trudged out of the house. Together the four of them dragged me to the edge of the forest, where I couldn't smell the blood any more.

I slumped to the floor, running my hands through my hair. What had I done? I had let down my family. Depression and guilt washed over me in waves. I cried out, the pain flowing freely through me, consuming me.

A small figure rushed to my side, her hands stroking my face and smoothing my hair, catching my own hands and holding them tight. I looked into her eyes, Alice. I let her lean against me thinking soothing thoughts, and I absorbed them, calming myself, with my Alice's help.

Only once I was calm and sitting leaning against a tree, Alice kneeling beside me, did I look up at Edward.

I'm so sorry, I thought.

A/N - I am planning on writing the second chapter soon, it will be Jasper talking to Edward, not sure quite what to write yet!!!