Sorry for the delay (as usual. I'm very irregular when it comes to writing :D) Here's the next chapter of Prelude to Eternity. Please R&R!

And by the way, the song below is really good reminds me of Twilight, hence WHY I PUT IT HERE. Heh heh. Okay, read!! Lol

Catch me, as I fall

Say you're here and it's all over now.

Speaking to the atmosphere,

No one's here,

And I fall into myself.

-Whisper, Evanescence

I sat on the massive leather couch that occupied Edward's room, temporarily hosting myself. I always kept my new, small silver phone close to me. It was a small, trivial present from Edward, and besides, it was so much easier to communicate this way.

Sighing, I picked it up, and just as I did, it buzzed in my hand. I jumped, and quickly flipped it open, my heart speeding up.

"Hello?" I answered eagerly.

"Bella."

I melted at the sound of his voice. Getting up from the couch, I stepped out of the room and practically fell down the stairs in my eagerness to get outside, to be alone. As I ran past Jasper, I could have sworn he'd chuckled, but when I looked back, he was intently staring at his book. I stepped out front door, onto the porch, curled up on a wicker chair, and sighed, now comfortable.

"How are you?" I asked, him, just wanting to hear him talk, to hear the sound of his voice. I enjoyed the warm summer air, the pretty flowers swaying in the evening wind.

"I'm dragging, to say at the least." I could hear the sheepishness in his voice. "Don't I sound pathetic?"

I smiled ruefully. "I'm not doing much better. I think I'll drive Jasper crazy by the end of the week."

I heard him laugh musically. "My family, as well. " He sighed, and he got quiet.

I broke the silence. "Where are you right now?"

"We're on the runway of the last flight to Italy. I'm taking advantage of the delay to hear your voice." He chuckled. "What has it been, ten hours?"

I smiled. "Seems like a lot more."

He sighed, sounding very tired, if he could be. "I miss you so much, Bella. You have no idea how painful this is to be away from you for this length of time."

My heart ached for him. "It will be hard," I agreed. "But I'll wait for you here, Edward. As long as it takes."

I could hear the sad smile in his voice. "I've never doubted it, Bella. I love you so much."

"I love you, too. Come home as soon as you can." I pulled my knees up to my chest, forcing the hole in my chest to close.

"As soon as I can," he repeated. "Goodbye, love."

"Bye," I responded, and then heard the line go dead.

I sighed, and dropped the phone, letting it clatter to the ground, not really caring that it wasn't the best to do with an expensive electronic. Reaching back, I pulled the elastic out of my ponytail, and shook out my long hair, watching it catch the last rays of the day.

Sitting out in the Cullen's scenic yard, it was painfully familiar, the way that evening birds chirped, and the hazy sunset started to descend over the horizon, a streak of warm, beautiful colors. The way that the sun streamed over each and every blade of grass, casting shadows over the lawn, occasionally splashed with wildflowers, their vibrant colors dimmed by the fading light.

It was like my Annie of Green Gables vision, except now, Edward was not here to share it with me. This natural, calm memory was now empty, and even though he loves me, and will come to me when all of this is over, I couldn't help but feel alone. Charlie was at the house, probably watching a game, Jacob was with Billy in La Push, and Jasper was inside, reading his book, but I still felt so alone, it made me want to cry.

It showed how very, very important he was to me. That's why I'm with him and not Jacob, because I love them both, but he is really the only necessity in my life. I may be surrounded by people, but if I'm not with him I'm-

I felt a strong, cold hand on my shoulder, making me jolt suddenly, shaken out of my thoughts.

"It's not true," Jasper said quietly. I looked up at him, and I saw that he had silently come up behind me. Of course, I should have remembered. He can feel my emotions.

Embarrassed, I turned my head, not knowing what to say. He glided over to the chair next to me, and sat down fluidly.

"I must seem like such a baby to you," I mumbled, still not facing him completely. He chuckled humorlessly.

"Not really." He shifted. "If you were really a 'baby' then you would be complaining. I don't hear you complaining." He smiled, and I felt slightly mollified. Though I knew that as soon as he left, this peaceful feeling was going to go with him.

"But I'm always wallowing." I frowned. "All I can do is wait around for him, soaking in my own misery."

He smiled again. "Of course it would seem that way to you. But really, Bella, it's no big deal. You are no burden to anyone, especially not in this house."

Slightly calmed, I allowed this. "I'm sorry," I apologized. "I'm dumping all of my troubles on you. It really must wear on you to hear me-"

Jasper's face abruptly changed; it shocked me. His usually calm face twisted into something like…I'm not sure what to call it. Exasperation?

"Bella," he said, his voice intense, "You really have to stop that kind of talk."

I silenced myself, slightly shocked. Quiet Jasper reprimanding me?

He shook his head. "I apologize for my abruptness," he grinned slightly, "but really. It's absurd. You are one of us!" He shook his head again, letting his blonde hair flip out of its perfect smoothness. I blushed.

"Urgh, I know," I growled, frustrated. "I think I'll just shut up now."

He grinned. "No, it's all right. You are quite amusing when you talk." I scowled at him, and he laughed, his baritone voice carrying lightly in the night.

He quieted. I followed his gaze; he was watching the sun, barely a sliver now over the horizon, casting its last radient glows over the land.

"La notte è il sole della mia vita," he whispered, so quietly I thought I'd imagined him saying it.

"Excuse me?" I said, just in case. He smiled slightly, a mere twitch of his smooth lips.

"It's Italian for 'The night is the sun of my life'," he explained. "It's one of the Volteri's favorite sayings, I suppose. It's fitting for our kind."

I listened quietly, in rapture of the ancient expression on his marble face.

"What it means is that the night is the only time we really have to ourselves. As vampires, I mean, and not vampires and humans. So really, nighttime is our time, in a way. " He frowned slightly.

"And I have attuned senses, being able to see from far away, and still it would be clear as day. I can even see in the pitch black night. And yet, it all seems so far away." His brow furrowed even more. "Everything I see is clear, but it still feels like I can't see it at all. Like it's too human for my eyes. Like I'm looking at this from a distance, even though it's right in front of my face."

I stared in shock. This wasn't something that had been shared with me.

"Is it just you, Jasper?" I whispered. "Or for everyone?"

He shrugged helplessly. "I'm not so sure. I can fee emotions, but this feeling is hard to distinguish. I know… I know Edward fells it, to some degrees, when…" he trailed off, and his eyes flickered to my face, as if he'd said something he shouldn't have. My heart spluttered a bit, anxious.

"When…?" I repeated, my voice raising an octave. Did it have something to do with me?

He pursed his lips. "Are you sure you want to know? I probably shouldn't have said that."

My eyes tightened slightly. "Yes, of course I want to know."

"All right, well, he feels the same way, to some extent, when he looks at…you." He winced slightly, waiting for my reaction.

I tried to stay calm, but I felt the panic coming slowly. "Because I'm human?" I asked evenly, carefully averting my eyes.

He sighed. "Yes. As much as he wants to keep you human, he is very torn occasionally when he sees you do something, like, I'm not sure exactly, eat. Or sleeping, that does bother him. But," he hurried along, "it's not your fault at all, and that's not the only reason he now wants you to become one of us." He smiled, and I felt a wave of unexpected calm wash over me. I knew that was Jasper's doing, but I went along with it.

"And you know that he would do anything for you, Bella. You'll become one of us soon enough, and then you won't have to worry about him feeling that. It's trivial and not something you should worry yourself over."

I sighed, realizing suddenly how late it was. I yawned involuntarily. He assessed this.

"I'm sorry," he apologized ruefully, "I'm keeping you up, aren't I?"

I smiled. "That's all right. I'm glad I understand hoe he feels. And how you feel. It's good to know."

He smiled back. "Why don't you go get some sleep, it's getting late."

I got up from the wicker chair, and carefully stretched my joints.

"Godnight, Jasper."

"Goodnight, Bella. I'll be down here if you need me."

Later, when I was in my bed, I realized that this was a night that Edward wasn't here to sing me to sleep. It made me very sad, and I fell asleep with my hand around my middle.

Okay, thank you for reading. PLease PLease review :)