"Darlin'," a voice whispered in my ear. "You okay, sug?"

"Of course, hun," I replied, lifting the skirt up and placing my foot in the reins once more. I looked down at him, my hat sheilding my eyes from the sun. "Need a lift, sir?"

Jasper grinned, smoothing out the wrinkles of the Confederate uniform, "No, ma'am, but thank you fer the offer."

"But for saving a young ladies life," I smiled, "I feel it my duty to present you with a token of gratitude."

He bowed and took the kerchief out of my hands, "Why, ma'am, such an honor is not neccessary. I'm just doing my civic duty and saving the fine ladies honor."

"Do you come around these parts and do that often, soldier?" I asked, pulling the reins back on Penny so she would back up a few steps.

The shawl slipped from my shoulders and Jasper caught it deftly, holding it up to me. "I believe you dropped this, ma'am." I flushed, taking it from his grasp and situating it around my shoulders once more. "And yes, you see that crick over yonder?" Jasper pointed down the field to a little stream.

"Yes, sir, I do," I confirmed.

"I live right over there," Jasper looked up at me. Playing stranger was one of the many ways we'd flirt.

"Ah, you live in the Whitlock home. My daddy's a mighty devoted customer," I told Jasper. "Always around for business."

"Is that so?" Jasper asked. "Well, perhaps we'll see each other."

"Perhaps." I looked up at the sun and saw it hanging around mid-noon. "I'm sorry for the sudden notice, but I have to get home to help my ma with the apple pies."

"What kind of gentlemen would I be if I don't escort the fine lady home?" Jasper smiled at me. His blue eyes twinkled in the sun. "May I?"

He mounted his ebony horse and brought it in a circle about me, as I answered, "I'd feel most honored, taking a moment out of a soldier like you's day."

"Will you guide me then, Miss?"

"Katherine," I introduced myself, drawing the reins and bringing the horse forward. "My name's Katherine, soldier."

"Jasper, Major Jasper Mordecai Whitlock, ma'am."

"A pleasure, Major."

"The pleasure is all mine," he smiled as he took off. I laughed, taking off right behind him.

"Jazz, wait up! That's no fair!"

I felt a small heat travel up my arm as I slept. Must just be the morning sun shining through the windows. Hmm, these blankets were really warm. I shifted in my sleep and felt the heat come across my face.

"Ugh," I muttered and kicked the sheets off of me. It was too hot. Almost like. . . I screamed and grabbed the sheet, wrapping it around me and disappeared into the dark corner of the room. My eyes searched and landed on Emmett and Rosalie, smirking on their chairs as they looked over something.

"What's wrong?" Rosalie asked. "Surprised?"

"Where's my ring?" I demanded. I clutched my hand to my chest, aching. "Fuck!"

She nodded her head and I followed its direction to see my ring laying in the middle of the sun. I grimaced, "Oh. Thanks."

She nodded and went back to her magazine. "You can get dressed anytime now."

I swallowed, all of my clothing items were in the sun. I approached it wearily, knowing that the sun could always shine just a millimeter over and catch me at any second. God, I felt like a little newborn that got burnt for the first time and was now trying to test her limits.

"What are you doing?" Rosalie asked, looking at me funny.

I didn't answer, instead, I stuck my hand in the sunbeam and cried out. I withdrew it quickly and clutched it to my chest. Taking a few deep breaths, I gauged the distance from me to the ring. About two feet. Which meant my head would have to go in it as well. Using vampire speed, I grabbed the ring and flung it backwards, hissing in pain. My skin was rough, pink, and seemed to look boiled.

"Your eyes," Rosalie whispered, jumping up. I let out a shaky breath to get that under control. I needed to feed.

"It's fine," I muttered. I flexed my fingers once they were back to normal and picked up my ring, sliding it on. I went back to the sun and grabbed my clothing.

"Come on," Emmett cried. "Once your dressed we can continue the game!"

I groaned, "I'm starving."

"You can eat while we play," Emmett said. "Go! Get dressed!"

I narrowed my eyes at him, "Fine. Fine."

I walked to Alice's room and raised my hand to knock.

"It's open, Bella!" Alice called.

I entered and found my bag of clothing on her bed. "I was going through your clothes, Bella. And none of them are worthy of being a wardrobe," Alice started to blabber. "So I found this really cute-"

I began tuning her out and went to my bag, pulling out the clothing I was going to wear and headed to her bathroom.

"Bella, don't wear those!"

"I'm going to wear them anyway," I muttered.

Ignoring Alice's protests, I shut the bathroom door and got dressed quickly. I really needed to feed.

Clad in skinny jeans and a sweater, I put my clothes in my bag, zipped it up, and headed downstairs while Alice got ready.

"She's finally awake!" Edward cried. "Emmett and Rosalie wouldn't let me in their room, so I could hold you while you slept."

Thank god. "Oh, well, it was fine. They're room's really nice. I like it."

"Did Emmett hurt you?" Edward demanded.

"Not a single bruise," I showed him my pale skin by rolling the sleeves up. "Honestly."

"How was it, sis?" Jasper asked, plating some pancakes and putting them on the counter as I was digging through the fridge for orange juice.

"Eh, it was okay," I smirked, meeting Jasper's eyes.

He chuckled, "Don't let Em hear you say that, darlin'."

"Okay!" Emmett shouted. "I am the sex master! That was not okay! That was amazing!"

"You just to practice more," I told him, shrugged. "I didn't feel. . . satisfied."

Rosalie laughed, putting her arm around my shoulders as I took a sip of orange juice. Ugh, this stuff tasted like shit. "I really am starting to like you, Bella. You're starting to surprise me everyday."

"That's my goal," I replied. "Thanks, Jasper, for making this."

"No problem, Bella," Jasper smiled.

I grabbed the plate and carried it to our circle of pillows. "We gunna keep playing, or what? I need to figure out who to pick on."

"Game's resuming!" Alice shouted. "Emmett, stop fucking yourself in the bathroom!"

"Bella, we are so getting together some other time," Emmett said as he came down. "I'll prove to you I'm the best."

"Emmett, truth or dare."

He thought about it, hmming to himself. "Truth."

"Pansy," Jasper coughed.

"What is the most memorable girl you've ever done?" I smirked.

"Definately you," Emmett said immediately. "Rose, babe, you're great in bed and all, but Bella. She does things with her mouth that-" he shook his head, "I might need another cold shower."

I snorted, amused. I was expecting a Denali or something.

"Hey, Rosie, your turn."

"Dare," She said boredly.

"Make out with Bella."

"Why am I always the person that has to do stuff with people?" I muttered.

"He wants girl on girl action," Rosalie sighed from next to me. "How long?"

"Thirty seconds."

Rosalie rolled her eyes and grabbed me roughly. Jesus! I shoved her off of me, "What the hell, Rose?"

"I'm not about to have my hair died green."

"What?" I asked, confused.

"When we back out from a dare, we have to dye our hair a greenish color. It's god-awful. So come here."

I must have looked at her with disgust, because she just grabbed me and planted herself to me. Ok, I don't have a problem with lesbians or gays, but this was just not my ballpark. Rose is my sister and all. This has to be incest.

"Hot damn," Emmett whistled when Rosalie pushed me away. I wiped my face off with the sleeve of my sweater. Ew.

"Jasper, truth or dare."

"Truth."

"Were you ever in love with anyone other than Alice?"

"Yes."

"And is she in this room?"

Jasper hesitated before answering, "Yes."

"That's impossible," Edward stated. "He was in love with Alice before he even moved into the family."

"Not entirely impossible," Emmett suggested. "Rosie, you saw what Bella did this morning. How she burnt in the su-"

Rose smacked him outside the head, "She had a headache, Emmett," Rosalie covered for me. "She couldn't look in the sunlight."

"No, I've seen humans with headaches," Emmett said. "Their skin doesn't turn pink in the sun."

"Bella's human," Alice shrugged. "That's impossible."

I watched them fight for a moment and was unable to keep the smirk off my face. Alice's heart was breaking, Edward's heart was breaking as the evidence became more and more obvious it could only be me, and Jasper's heart was breaking as he realized he was losing his wife.

"Bella, when were you born?" Alice asked me.

"1988," I replied stubbornly.

"See?" Rosalie said, gesturing towards me. "Human."

"When was Katherine born?" Alice asked.

"1843," I answered automatically, but put my hand to cover my mouth at my slip up. I looked around the room that was looking at me in shock. "Oops."


Oh yeah, this is really going to be something, isn't it? Next chapter is intervention time. Review, please! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far! You've been so kind and I love you guys!

-Nastya