PREVIOUSLY: "Hello, Bella, how are you tonight?" he asked, and I could barely hear the southern accent in his voice as get got off the car.

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Thank you to my Beta, Dazzle Me Again, for do this for me.

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Chapter Two: Unexpected

I stared in shock at Jasper. It just seemed so odd and, well, unexpected that he would take the time to come and see me, given that I hadn't had much of a relationship with him in the almost year I'd known him.

"J-Jasper? What are you doing here?" I asked—I was incredibly confused. Why was he here? Why now? Why him and not Edward? Why alone? Questions—mostly 'why's kept popping in my head as just like popcorn. I felt my mind trying to retreat back into itself. The odd thing was I didn't want to. I wouldn't let myself go back to that hollow shell I had been before. Not anymore.

"I had to make sure you were alright, Bella. After the..." he hesitated for a moment, "incident, I've felt positively horrendous. You could almost say it been keeping me up at night." He chuckled softly at his own joke, I didn't laugh—I hadn't done that in so long I had almost forgotten how it felt. After his attempt at making a joke, silence fell between us. It wasn't uncomfortable, but rather very secure... friendly almost.

But suddenly, just like confusion had filled my mind with every 'why's I could possibly think of, I was filled with a sense of dread. What if Jasper was only staying for a minute? What were his plans? I just knew I wasn't going to survive if he just left as suddenly as he arrived. I couldn't let the world—the people—I'd missed so much in these three months slip away just like that. Jasper must have felt my worry, because instantly I felt a sense of calm wash over me. "What's wrong, Bella?" he asked, with a concerned expression on his face.

"It's just that... well, since your family left, I've been just…" I was about to say 'empty', but I stopped myself "…not myself." In that moment, my shoe-less feet were incredibly interesting. Not. I just couldn't see his eyes when he told me he was leaving just as quickly as he had come.

"Bella, I will stay in Forks, but I don't know if I can stay at your house. You know I have problems with my control…" he trailed off and I looked up, both of us remembering the incident three months ago.

"Jasper, you know I don't blame you. It was an accident. It could have been anyone to make the first jump. It. Was. Not. Your. Fault." I punctuated each word for added effect, especially on the 'not'.

Jasper gently grabbed my arms, and held onto me. "Don't you understand? I could lose control while you're asleep, and kill you; or worse, I could change you unintentionally—if I was able to stop drinking your blood, that is.

"Bella, you're not safe around me. Nobody is. It's entirely my fault that Edward—" I winced, "—made the family leave Forks. I'm really sorry, but I can't stay here tonight. I know that there are still clothes for all of us at the other house. Just let me stay there, please." I could feel the guilt rolling off of him, though I didn't think he was intentionally making me feel guilty.

"Jasper, you're making me feel guilty, like it was my fault that you left," I immediately felt the guilt disappear, "and, besides, I believe you can control yourself for a few hours. You're strong enough."

He sighed, and I knew that I had won for now. "Okay, I'll try for you, Bella." Then he did something I didn't expect—he pulled me in for a hug. I felt his nose trace along my collarbone as he turned his head, and I stiffened. Jasper didn't notice my fear, and put his nose right against my neck, taking a large breath. I felt his tongue lick my neck, then his lips against my skin. I felt his lips start to part, but was too terrified to even say his name. This was the end. He would lose control like he said he might, and kill me. Just a moment later, he let go of me, and pulled back to the car.

"Oh my, I'm so sorry, Bella. I didn't mean to… Oh no, I didn't hurt you, did I? Oh, God—" I cut him off there.

"Jasper, you didn't hurt me, you just... scared me a bit—again, not your fault. Besides, you didn't break skin, so I'm fine. And the fact that you were able to pull away means you are strong enough to stay the night. So, why don't you go back to the other house and get some clothes? I'll ask Charlie if you can spend the night, but his answer doesn't matter. If you hear me talking to him, that means he has said yes, but if not, then come in through my window. It'll be open and I'll be sitting on my bed. By the way, where's Alice? Why didn't she come along as well?" I asked, curious.

"She wanted to stay behind, and make sure that Edward didn't find out about me coming... he would tear our heads off if he knew. The cover is that I'm going up to Canada for a hunt, and won't be back for a few weeks. Only Alice really knows where I am, and I trust that she is able to block her mind from my dear brother quite well. Anyway, I'll go and get some clothes, and be back in a few." Then he got into the car, revved the engine and I was left standing in the snow.

I walked inside, taking as little time as I could. I tried running, but my klutziness had returned, and I fell on my butt. I walked inside, and went to go and ask Charlie if Jasper could stay the night.

"Ch—uh, Dad? Can a friend stay the night?" I asked.

"Huh? Oh, ah, yeah," his voice sounded amazed. "Sure, anybody can stay the night, so long as it's not that damned Cullen boy—" I winced. I already knew how Charlie felt about... him, not because we talked about it often, or at all. "...If he walks through that door again, I'll personally kill him for what he did to you."

"Dad, what about one of his siblings? Could one of them stay the night?"

"Which one?" he asked and his voice sounded apprehensive now. I figured I had about three minutes before Jasper returned.

"Umm, Jasper Hale. He popped into town unexpectedly, and has no place to stay."

"No. You can't have any boys stay here. You're just starting to mend, Bells, I don't want you to be hurt by this boy as well."

"Dad, Jasper's with Alice, remember? I asked him about that already, and he said that she knew what he was doing. He felt the need to make sure I was all right after... Edward... left, and told Alice that he would be back in a few days."

"I said no, Bella. You know that the loyalties of a boy can change in a heartbeat. Look at what happened to you. I'm sorry, but I don't think it's a good idea."

"Fine. I'm going up to my room. I'll call his cell and tell him he can't stay over." I marched up to my room, and slammed open the window. Then I picked up the phone, and fake-called his cell. I went through the motions of calling him, because I knew Charlie would be making sure that I had actually made the call.

When I was finished with that, I sat down on my bed, and waited. I didn't have to sit there long; because Jasper was coming through the window within the minute I entered my room.

"So I guess your dad doesn't approve of the Cullens anymore," he joked.

"I guess not," I sighed, knowing that having Jasper stay over was a bad idea. I thought back to the incident outside, and wondered if Jasper would be able to pull away the next time he lost control, or if he would accidentally kill me.

"What's wrong, Bella?" Jasper asked.

"Nothing really. Just thinking about what would happen if you were to lose control again."

"Bella, I won't lose control around you again, I promise." As if to prove his point, he pulled me into another hug, and smelled my neck. I tensed as I felt his tongue on my neck again, but I heard him chuckle. "Don't worry, I'm in control. Your skin does taste amazing, though. I couldn't resist another taste." He chuckled again, and licked my neck again. I was petrified. I knew Jasper had a hard time with control, and he was licking my neck. There was no way this was his normal behaviour. What the hell was happening?

"Jasper, why are you licking my neck?" I managed to ask.

"I'm not sure. I…I can't help myself," he pulled away from me a little, and I felt a sense of calm wash over me. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I keep doing that," I was sure that if he could, he would blush.

"Can we please limit ourselves to hugs?"

"Yes, we can. Now, why don't you get yourself ready for bed, and get some sleep. There is school tomorrow." I moved away from Jasper, and went to get on my PJs in the bathroom. Once I was back, I saw Jasper sitting on the rocking chair he used to sit on. I had to admit it was a little weird. I smiled at him regardless, and I crawled into bed. Not long after that, I fell into a peaceful sleep.