Chapter IV
Yield To Me

Edward stood glaring down at Jasper; who stared at the floor, still down on his knees. He breathed erratically.

Edward yelled at Jasper, actually yelled. "WHAT CAN YOU BE THINKING JASPER? HAS NOTHING I'VE SAID MATTERED TO YOU? Are you my brother?"

Jasper flinched slightly, but didn't move. His response was given to the floor. "I'm not as strong as you are Edward. I never have been. If I were, I wouldn't still battle my bloodlust. Bella?" Jasper said, addressing me.

I was wild with fear, still sitting on the bed, the covers pulled protectively around me. "Yes?" I whispered. They heard me, of course.

"Can you please stand up?" Jasper's eyes were still directed at the floor, so I did as he asked. I felt beyond naked, standing there undressed in the bright room, in the middle of so much tension.

"Edward, look at her." He said, still keeping his face down.

Edward turned to me and stood very still, looking at me. His eyes slid appreciatively from my face, across my shoulders, pointedly straying slightly as he came to my chest.

Jasper somehow knew he'd looked away, "Don't look away, Edward. Look at her. See her as she is, she is splendor. Her body vibrates with temptation."

Edward was looking now, and I was feeling very vulnerable and exposed. I saw Jasper's head nod slightly, his hands clenching into fists.

"Yes, you're really looking, aren't you? What you're feeling now, the desire you're fighting; the fascination and animal lust you can feel winning out, I feel that. I feel all the same longing, and the warring you feel every time you look at her. You stand there, trying so hard to protect her from yourself; you're not able to recognize you need to protect her from herself. The desire you fight isn't only your own."

"The two of you," he nearly choked as he said this, his voice thickening with emotions, "are both feeling so strong, yet deny yourselves. It completely unbalances me. You have to take care of her Edward, or I will get there first. Your denials are making her as desirous as, if not more so than, you. I first battled only your incredible passion for her. I now have the misfortune to battle my own. She doesn't deserve the uninvited attention she gets from me, but please Edward, give her your undivided attention! For once don't allow the division you're creating in yourself. A man loves his wife, mind, heart, soul and if he's intelligent, bodily!"

Edward's eyes were burning with passion, but he reluctantly turned to look at Jasper over his shoulder. Jasper heard the weight shift and looked up. When their eyes met Edward's shoulders slumped and the anger seemed to have left him.

"I'm truly sorry Edward, also to you Bella, please believe me." He kept his eyes locked onto Edward's eyes, not risking looking at me in the unadorned state he'd left me in. "Edward, I'm begging you, not only for her sake, but for your yours…."Edward turned back to me. "also for mine." Jasper stood then, looked back at the floor, then leaned in and pulled the door closed. As the door whispered shut, Edward walked toward me, his eyes hungry, and determined. The pinkish-orange tinted light of sunset coloring his skin as he moved.

Jasper's appeal was granted. Several times.

*~*~*

I lay in bed afterwards, and was fairly certain I was grinning like an idiot. It was wonderful, although Edward still had to maintain strict control all throughout our endeavors.

Despite all prior proofs, he was still surprised by my enthusiasm. He ran a finger along my cheek. The usual burn followed the line he'd traced.

He looked in my eyes, and there was a little sadness in his, "You've been desiring Jasper, haven't you?"

I looked at the covers, my idiotic smile finally fading. I could lie, but Edward would see right through me, he always did. "Yes." His face seemed to collapse a little, "I wanted you, but Jasper's right, you were too strong." I said defensively.

"So you've been taking advantage of my brother's weakness?" he smirked at me, and raised an eyebrow. I was mortified because it was true. I tried to look away. Edward pulled my chin back and pointedly swept his eyes across my outline beneath the sheets before bringing them back to look into mine. "Poor Jasper." He chuckled, shaking his head.

I bit my lip and looked at the door thinking of Jasper. I felt sad for him. I'd driven him to the edge, and then left him teetering there, arms flailing. I'd been too concerned for Edward's welfare to even try to pull Jasper back again. I had taken advantage of him, burned for him, and then denied him. All that, and he'd still championed my cause to Edward. I didn't deserve his kindness.

Edward watched me, and frowned. "Do you still desire him, Bella?"

As usual, I gave myself away by answering him too quickly. "No!"

He chuckled again, "Sweet Bella. You're so innocent, yet such a temptress too. He never stood a chance, you know."

Assuming he was making a remark about his dominance over me, I defended myself against his arrogance. "Actually, he came very close to having his chance."

Edward was surprised and angered at the same time. "That wasn't what I meant!" he snarled.

I flinched because he'd raised his voice. He softened as he noticed this.

"I'm sorry, I only meant that no one has a chance of not being tempted by you, if you decide to turn your charm in their direction. You're utterly captivating, Bella. I've been very unfair to Jasper, forcing you on him that way. You really ought to have been kinder Bella, he's so weak."

My indignation was growing at his teasing, which made him double up with laughter. I jumped out of bed and walked into the closet. He followed me in there, "What do you think you're doing?" he snickered, trying to keep a straight face, though it was painfully obvious he was on the verge of hysterical laughing.

"I'm going to get dressed and leave. I don't want to take advantage of your weakness." I shoved my hand into a shirt.

Edward grabbed the shirt, and yanked it away from me. I turned to glare at him. My heart was pounding and my breathing was ragged.

"No Bella. It's after midnight, you're not going anywhere." He was extremely serious, but his tone was softer again. Speaking more in his normal way.

I walked back into the bedroom and climbed back under the sheets. I couldn't go anywhere naked, so I'd just go to sleep.

I felt the bed sink as he sat down next to me. He started to caress my hair, but I stopped him by turning and glaring into his face. He lifted his hand and looked at me, his eyes saddened. He stood then. "I owe Jasper a talk. I'll leave you to sleep."

In the morning I awoke to find myself alone. I was very irritated by Edward, and hurt that he hadn't returned.

I resolved not to speak to him. I showered, and got ready for my day, just a simple white button down and jeans. Alice would hate it. I giggled at the thought. I sat in our room and read nearly all day, and never once did Edward come in, though I could hear him occasionally calling to one or the other of his family during the course of the day. I checked the computer Edward had bought me for messages, and sent a couple off to Jessica, and Angela. When I was finished, a new message popped into my inbox. I opened it, and it was from Alice. It was very short.

Bella,

I think you have to. I don't want it, but I don't think it can be avoided. I won't be angry.

Love, Alice

What? I tried desperately to think of what she could be referring to, but I couldn't think of anything. Had Alice and I spoken of something when she was talking about going to France that I couldn't remember?

I hit reply,

Alice,

What are you talking about? I'm blank.

Love, Bella

It was very late in France, so I assumed I wouldn't get a response until the next day. I hit send, and then powered the laptop down. It was late and I decided to go downstairs to manage some form of dinner for myself. As I passed the living room on my way to the kitchen, I saw Edward sitting with Emmett and Rosalie. Edward smiled; I clenched my jaw and looked forward. I walked into the kitchen. I still wasn't going to speak to him, no matter how many chills his smile gave me.

When I'd finished eating, I cleaned my plate off. I turned the water on full, and as my luck would have it, splashed water all over my front, soaking my shirt, my neck and face. I gasped, and then spluttered, shutting the water back off. I grabbed a towel and was drying my face off when I heard chuckling. I looked up and Emmett was standing there grinning. "Nice job little sister? Trying to see if you can have a one woman wet t-shirt contest? Makes judging kind of biased doesn't it?" I looked down and realized my white shirt was indeed, transparent. I ran past Emmett as he laughed loudly. He really was a typical big brother.

I hit the stairs and refused to even look at Edward, though I could sense his eyes on me. I was very embarrassed. I put my hand on the rail, and began to climb the stairs with my head hung in embarrassment. I heard a sharp intake of breath and looked up. Great! Naturally! It was Jasper. He was looking at my front, which wasn't leaving anything to the imagination. I flushed, he closed his eyes, but I still felt a strong wave of desire wash over me, it sparked the desire in me and I felt my cheeks color again. Jasper opened his eyes, and looked straight into mine. That awareness, that magnetism, it was there, burning the air between us. I became aware of Edward's eyes on me again. I looked at Edward and saw the pain on his face. I covered my top as well as I could with my arms, and shot past Jasper to our room.

I went into the bathroom and pulled all my clothes off. I took my second shower of the day, re-washing my hair and was reaching out for my towel when one appeared before me. I followed the arm attached to the hand holding the towel. It was Jasper; he was looking down at the floor. I gasped, threw the towel across my front, and opened my mouth to ask him to leave, when Edward's voice cut across my intentions. "I asked him in here, Bella." He was behind me; I spun around and found him looking very intently at me. "We need to talk."