Bella's POV
It was December, and I was excited.
For once in my human life, I get to experience Christmas as a child, but also with the Cullen's.
I had all the Cullen's at work;
Emmett was on the Christmas tree duty,
Esme was on decorations;
Carlisle was on wrapping;
Alice was away buying presents
Edward was on Cards;
Rosalie was on covering the whole house in Christmas lights;
And I was on cooking; for Charlie and Renee…who both agreed to come for dinner at the Cullen Mansion.
Everyone was busy…
Everyone except Jasper.
"Where's Jasper?" I mumbled to Edward it was the 24th of December, we were currently sitting in his room, holding each other close.
"In his room love" Edwards voice took a harder edge.
"Doesn't he like Christmas?" I asked him, looking up in his eyes.
"He's never experienced it love" Edward repeated in the same tone.
"oh!" I said jumping up from Edward's couch.
"Love, where are you going?" he asked me.
"To see Jasper" and I walked a few steps to his door, before my path was blocked by Edward.
"You can't go in there Bella" Edward tried to drag me back to the couch.
"and why the hell not?" I asked, my anger was surfacing , and quickly.
"Is there MORE you're not telling me Edward?" I clenched my teeth.
Edward sighed deeply and pinched his nose.
"Thank God" he mumbled.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Jasper just left with Emmett to hunt, it would have been…awkward , to talk about his…problems while he was around" Edward suddenly looked 100 years older.
"Tell me"
"Jasper has been very…stressed recently. " Edward answered quietly.
"as we all have, continue" I said, going over to the couch and wrapping my hands around my legs in a ball shape
"Yes" Edward joined me on the couch "But…there's more…Jasper is really struggling with the, animal diet…you have to understand, he nearly had over 100 years of savage human drinking before converting to the animal life style…Every day he drinks a little less than he needs." Edward rubbed his temples.
"oh god! Poor Jasper" I whispered.
"I feel there's more though Edward…am I correct?" I asked a second later. He nodded slowly.
"Jasper has had some…bad news. His coven, the Whitlock's…has recently been attacked. His Venom brother Peter, is dead…leaving his mate and there new member of the coven alone." He sighed, and his body slumped.
"But…why isn't he going to comfort them?" I whispered, my voice clogged with emotion.
"Because…he has to cross Mexico in order to get to them…but Mexico is, Dangerous territory. That's where Maria and her sisters still are. Jasper fears that Maria is still on the prowl for him, and if any vampire in Mexico shall SEE jasper, with this golden eyes. He would be killed instantly" he crushed his eyes shut and took a long deep breath.
"but then…Why isn't Alice with Jasper?" I asked slowly.
"Because…Alice had a vision, you MUST keep this from Jasper or any of the people in the house Bella! " he pleaded, taking my hand in a bone crushing grip. I nodded quickly.
"but what about everyone downstairs?" I gasped out.
"they all went hunting, wanting to give us some privacy" he said quickly.
"Bella…Alice had a vision that Jasper doesn't know of, She found her mate" he said brokenly.
"But jasper is her mate?". I asked, TOTALLY confused.
"No, they are just Husband and Wife, Alice has found her TRUE mate in another Vampire, That's why she has been away a lot…looking for HIM" Edward spat out, Him.
"NO!" I stood up quickly "What is this going to do to the family Edward?, to Jasper? He will crumble apart!" tears started running down my cheeks.
Edward shushed me and held me close.
A minute passed and I pulled away.
"She needs to tell him Edward" I sniffed out.
"She will…in time" he finished.
"the family is back, he added."
I nodded and walked his room into the hall, where I was met with Jasper's black eyes, staring holes into me. He was at the top of the staircase , about to go into his room;
"Hey" I whispered.
He nodded once, a jerky movement then peeled his eyes off of me and opened his door and went in.
I saw the agony in his eyes.
I slowly went downstairs.
"It's Christmas tomorrow!" Emmett screamed like a girl.
He picked me up and ran to the living room, and sat me on his knee.
"so Bella" Emmett said in this deep voice "what would you like Santa to bring you?" he joked.
I thought for a moment…wondering if I should lie or be truthful, I was never good at lying anyway.
"Health and Happiness for the whole family" I answered honestly, thinking of Jasper.
"BORING!" Emmett roared happily in my ear.
"that hurt Emmett!" I whined.
"boo hoo!" and he ran away outside, leaving me to fall on the floor.
"Dammit!" I cursed at Emmett. Another bruise.
I climbed up and was met by the black stare of Jasper.
I gulped nervously.
"Hi Jasper" I said, trying to voice some enthusiasm.
He growled in response and I gulped.
"What do you know Bella?" He hissed my name.
"n-nothing Jasper!" I fake smiled.
"you can't fool an empath!...you know something.." he stalked forward, like I was his prey.
"I Know n-nothing Jasper!" I gasped.
"Then why have you been directing sympathy to me for that past half an hour…THERE YOU GO AGAIN!" He roared and I backed a few steps. Emmett, Esme, Carlisle, Rosalie came running and Edward was at my side instantly.
"I don't NEED this Sympathy! I…..AM…FINE!" Jasper roared out.
Just then Jacob came in, and all the vampires wrinkled their noses.
"Hey bells!" Jacob smiled at me and I ran and gave him a hug. Over his shoulder I saw Alice enter and take Jaspers hand and run upstairs. She was going to tell him…
"so…what was all that about?" Jacob asked me, raising his eye brows.
"nothinggg!" I practically sang.
"didn't sound like nothing" Jacob mumbled.
"Leave it dog!" Rosalie hissed at him.
"Hey blondie!, how do you get a blonde to laugh on Wednesday?..." there was silence as Rosalie scowled
"…TELL HER A JOKE ON THE MONDAY!" and Jacob burst out laughing.
"Your not even funny mongrel…and I've heard that one", she smirked.
Upstairs there was a huge crashing sound and shouting.
"Jacob" I said quickly pulling him to the door "why don't you come over tomorrow for dinner? Bring billy!...we need to, um, talk about decorations! Bye!" and I slammed the door in his face.
The same moment Jasper ran out the window…we could hear the glass shattering.
Alice ran downstairs, her hair a mess and a wild look on her face.
"He's gone! I don't even know where he is because that DOG came! I didn't see his reaction!" she sobbed.
"It's okay, Alice honey" Esme soothed. Patting Alice's hair down.
"No….no its not! Life is crap!" she cried into Esme's shoulder.
The rest of us just stood around…awkwardly.
About ten minutes later we all moved to the living room, I snuggled into Edward.
We sat in silence, the only thing was Alice's sobbing.
30 minutes later she gave a strangled cry.
"NO! oh no!" she cried, jumping up from the couch.
She only had time to look at my face before Jasper ran through the door.
With ruby red eyes.
"I'm HOME!" he sang cheerily.
"Get Bella away!" Edward hissed at Rosalie and Esme.
"oh no!, keep Bella here!...she seems to know more about my situation than even ME!." He hissed, venom running from his lips.
"Jasper…why?" Alice's tiny voice interrupted Jasper's rant.
"WHY ALICE?, YOU ASK ME WHY?" he roared, then a sick chuckle ran through his body.
"oh Aliceee" he purred.
"Have you gone CRAZY?" I screamed at him.
Jasper's red gaze set on me;
"indeed I have, that means my movements are…unpredictable"
And he pounced for me.
I gasped in pain and shock as his teeth connected with my wrist.
Edward threw him into the wall but Jasper just climbed up it, like a spider.
Suddenly Jasper began to sob.
"I would have given you anything and Everything Alice!" he sobbed.
"If I was human, I would of given you my heart on a plate!"
"and you betray me like this!" he covered his face.
I missed the other part of the conversation as my wrist was burning.
I screamed, high pitched and panicked.
"The venom!" Edward cried.
Carlisle took charge and took my wrist, then his cold lips were on my wrist and he was sucking the venom out.
I Clawed at his hand, and thrashed in his grip.
This…..hurts like hell.
The pain got better…and then it stopped. I took lung fulls of air.
Edward cradled me in his arms and held me close.
The fight was still going on…
"You knew it wasn't going to last forever!" Alice screamed at Jasper.
"I knew nothing!, you never told me anything!" Jasper roared at Alice.
"Well maybe I'm sick of your struggling!" Alice hissed at Jasper, in the most evil of ways.
"I struggle because I have had a different life from you! From you all!, my life has been full of wars!" he cried at her.
"Maybe I want a man, who can actually control himself" she hissed.
"Alice…" Jasper chocked out
"Maybe I want a man…who can protect…his coven" Alice said slowly, with a sick smile on her face.
Everyone gasped and Jaspers eyes went black.
Then he fell to his knees.
Rosalie ran over to Alice and slapped her, hard.
"Jasper!" Rosalie cried and ran over to him.
Jasper just sat there, on his knee's…looking far away.
He sat there for hours…the family trying to get any life from him. Alice sobbing next to him, apologising.
My stomach was growling like crazy, but for once, Edward didn't notice.
I didn't mind…I just wanted Jasper to get better.
"Edward" I whispered.
He looked at me.
"Maybe …maybe I could help?" I asked, pleading.
Edward gave a sad nod, and led me to Jasper.
I kneeled next to him.
"Jasper…come back…please" tears ran down my face.
I placed my hands on his face.
"Please Jasper…we need you here" I whispered. Suddenly his black eyes locked on mine and he shut them, in agony.
"Its so hard Bella" he whispered.
"I know Jasper…I know" then I did something that no one expected.
I hugged him.
He was still for a moment, then he moved and hugged me back.
He spoke to the family, behind my back as I was still hugging him;
"I'm going to Mexico" Jasper announced.
Gasps of shock were in every direction.
"Alice was right, I need to stand up and look after my Coven. I will leave in the morning" He whispered before de-attaching me from him, standing up, and running upstairs.
"Jasper No!" Alice screamed.
"he…he cant go to Mexico Edward" I whispered from the floor.
"He would be killed…" Rosalie whispered in pain.
"Or Maria would get him…" Emmett closed his eyes from the images.
"We need to convince him to stay!" I announced, standing up.
"Bella…it's not that simple" Carlisle answered.
"once Jasper gets something in his head…he never backs down" Edward whispered, looking out the window. Alice sobbed.
"WHY did you have to say that alice?, WHY?" I cried, more tears pouring out my eyes.
"I don't know Bella! It was in the heat of the moment!" Alice screamed at me.
"Alice calm down!" Esme's voice was hard and cold.
"Why couldn't you have just stayed with Jasper?...instead of running off, looking for trouble?!" I Screamed more.
"because then I would be living a lie!, I would be holding Jasper back!" she roared, stepping closer to me.
"What you did was un forgivable" I hissed at Alice, stepping closer.
"Remember when Victoria's army was after you ?...what you and Jacob did, think about the hurt you caused Edward" she hissed at me, a sick smile on her face.
"you're a bitch" I stated, clearly and loudly.
"you just cause people pain, you lie, you act like your plastic, WELL I hope you are happy Marie Alice! BECAUSE I'M DONE WITH YOU!" I screamed at her, and ran upstairs…not tripping once.
I half expected Edward to run after me.
He didn't…I heard him comforting Alice.
I knocked on Jaspers door and opened it;
I found him on the bed, his head in his hands.
"Let me come with you" I stated.
He looked up in shock and stood up, I saw him swallow.
"I can't Bella…you have a life here." He whispered brokenly.
"Please Jasper…I want to help" I whispered.
He took a step closer and so did I, we repeated that and he was towering over me.
"are you sure?" He whispered.
I nodded, tears in my eyes, and he crushed me to his chest.
"It will be so dangerous Bella…there's no turning back" he whispered in my ear.
"I know…and I'm willing to do whatever it takes"
"If we are going…we should leave now" I nodded slowly.
Jasper pulled back a little, so we were face to face.
"What about Edward"
"If he really loves me, he will wait for me; if he doesn't wait, then we are over" I stated.
Jasper gave me a pain-filled smile and we walked downstairs.
"Your leaving…" Emmett stated.
"and I'm going with him" I added.
"don't be stupid" Edward hissed, he had Alice in his arms who was hugging him.
"Unlike that little cow in your arms, don't you DARE call me stupid; Edward Masen!" I hissed at him
"Let me go with you" Rosalie pleaded from the bottom of the stair case.
"No rose…I need you to stay here, look after the family" Jasper whispered as we reached the bottom.
He took Rosalie's hand in his.
"Your such an amazing sister." Jasper stated. "I don't deserve such an amazing person" he added.
"Jasper…please let me come" Rosalie pleaded.
"I cant have the weight of your death on my shoulders Rose" He argued.
"I wont die!" Rosalie hissed "I can take care of myself, just…please" she raised her face to his.
Jasper nodded slowly;
"If you wish"
"Please don't do this Jasper!" Esme's voice rang.
"I have to take responsibility Esme…you taught me that" He moved to where Esme and Carlisle was standing.
"you were the mother I never had Esme" he stated, his voice full of emotion.
She sobbed and hugged his chest.
"Carlisle…I don't think I've ever had a father figure as you do, every time I slipped up, you encouraged me… I'm so disappointed in myself for failing to keep to the diet" Jasper said to Carlisle over Esme's small frame, Jasper hung his head.
Carlisle pulled Jasper in for a hug, his eyes shining with tears.
"Doesn't matter…just come back, I don't care what diet you are, just come back" Carlisle whispered lovingly.
Jasper nodded and moved onto Emmett;
"My brother…so many memories…so many moments together…I love you bro" Jasper stated, pulling Emmett into a bear hug.
"Please let me come" Emmett whimpered.
"No…No Emmett…we need someone who can fight for the family now, someone to stand up for the Cullen's" Jazz whispered.
"I love you Jazz" Emmett sobbed.
"Love you to bro" Jasper pulled away and looked at Edward;
"Don't you bother giving me any of this 'fake love' because I am not buying it.." Edward hissed at Jasper, haterid in his eyes.
"Edward!" I stated shocked "what's gotten into you?" a minute ago…he was all upset about Jasper, now he hates him?...something doesn't add up.
Jasper shrugged;
"we had our fun moments Edward, little brother" Jasper stated.
"I will never be your brother!" Edward roared at Jasper.
"you're a monster" horror crossed my face as I confronted Edward.
Edward rolled his eyes "don't patronise me. Your so dumb Bella! Jasper will kill you in the car there!, if you stayed with me and Alice…you will live a long, happy, human life!" He laughed cruelly.
"I will NEVER stay with you and Alice!, we are over Edward!" I hissed at him.
He recalled as if I had slapped him.
Jasper came and joined me by the stairs, Rosalie had ran upstairs to pack for me, her and jasper.
"I have wrote you all little letters…" I stated quietly. "I'm not really good at expressing my feelings, except on paper…so they are all in the cardboard box in my wardrobe at Charlie's house." I smiled sadly and went to hug Carlisle.
He buried his face in my hair;
"My daughter…so brave" Carlisle whispered.
"Take care of my son and My other daughter, Bella…I worry about them so" I nodded and hugged back, before letting go and moving next to Esme.
I hugged her and burst out crying;
"I'm not sure if you will miss my motherly love, or my cooking" she laughed, strained.
"Both mom…both" I whispered.
She patted my hair and I ran over to Emmett…now I was full scale crying.
He picked me up, as if I was glass (my feet didn't touch the ground still though)
"I love you so much baby sis…" Emmett cut of, sobbing.
"I'll be back Em…I swear" I hugged him tighter.
He let me go, but closed his eyes in agony.
"Our bags are in the car" Jasper whispered to me. I nodded slowly.
Rosalie ran down, and started speaking to everyone in vampire speed. Carlisle, Esme and Emmett's eyes shone of proud and sad tears. Then she hugged them all, and gave Emmett one last long kiss.
"ready?" Jasper asked me and Rosalie, we both nodded and Rosalie led the way to the car.
"we will be back I swear, safe and sound" I promised the family then it hit me;
Jaspers speeches meant something…
The emotion , the love, the tears…
Jasper wasn't planning on coming back,
He expected to die in ,Mexico.
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