I would like to dedicate this chapter to my two loyalist reviewers, You-Dazzle-Me-1901 and MoreThenLikelyCrazy. I look forward to seeing what you two have to say after each update; thanks for being so awesome!

----The line is being a bitch and won't work, so let's pretend it's here.----

Two months passed, I was official with Bella Swan now.

She's such a sweet and caring person. I'm drawn to her like a moth, a lost puppy. I trusted her enough, being a more open person thanks of Edward's family, to let her know my secret.

She was very supportive, and swore on her life to never tell her dad. The last thing I need is for Charlie Swan to get more involved in my business then he already is!

Two months have passed.

I'm sure that dad's riding the needle, he's worse then ever now. He's as mean as a tired jaguar and he's started to threaten mom.

I get into actual arguments now; it's him and me who have the 2am screaming matches.

Naturally, you can assume I am almost always raw and bruised because of it. In the last two months I've hidden at Carlisle's house three times.

I don't mind as much as I thought I would. When in 60 days you live through 42 beatings, you get a little used to it.

They still hurt like no hell, but I can't do anything about that. It's either make his attacks less severe, or let him hurt my mom.

The choice is obvious.

Today I was sitting in the living room, trying to read a book.

Extremely intoxicated as she usually is now a days, my mom asked near-incoherently, "Jazter, quare's sa refote?" Translation for those of you who don't speak drunk: 'Jasper, where's the remote?'

I sighed and answered her gently, "Mom, you're holding it."

She lifted her hand and blinked in surprise, giggling stupidly. I felt a stab of pity for her.

She did this to herself so she could hide from her horrible reality. So she doesn't have to see the black and green welts on her son's body every time she looks at me. All she has to bear is whatever happy delusion her crazy, alcohol poisoned mind can create for her.

She flipped backwards through the channels until she passed out, landing on the Spanish channel.

I really wanted to leave; it breaks my heart to see her like this. Dad doesn't leave for work for another hour, though.

Turning off the TV I went to the closet, and returned to my mother with a blanket. I unfolded it and carefully set it over her to block out the cold November draft.

I kicked an empty vodka bottle across the room in disgust and it shattered against the wall.

The doorbell rang and I practically jumped out of my skin in surprise.

Nobody ever comes over to this house. The neighbors can, obviously, hear what goes on. They're all too afraid.

I peered out the blinds, relaxing when I saw Bella there.

Smiling to myself I opened the door a bit, trying to ignore her flinch when she saw my shirtless chest.

I joked lightly, "What brings you so close to hell?"

She frowned, not amused by my sadly believable comparison. "Just wanted to see if you were okay. Alice said you slept over last night."

I frowned and pulled her into the house, closing the door quickly.

I shrugged in embarrassment. "Well, mom was at work, and I had to get out of here. Don't worry."

Her eyes darkened and her fingers gently slid across my chest, making me wince.

"They're new."

The burn of her salty skin touching my wounds was too great and I slapped her wrist away. She jumped in surprise, hesitantly lowering her arm.

I apologized, "Sorry. That hurt though."

She took my hand and asked me, "Did he do it this morning, already?"

The horror is her voice was matched by an equal repulsion shining in her eyes.

I informed her, "No, yesterday. That's why I went to Alice's. Mom broke all of his syringes and he was about to slap her, I got in between them."

I looked away in shame, thoroughly embarrassed with my terrible father and his violence.

She picked up on my sudden mood shift and quickly changed the subject.

Her eyes darted around the room warily, "Is it safe for us to be here?"

This is her first time ever coming to the house, I wished she hadn't. Leaning forward I kissed her gently, leading her into the kitchen.

"Dad is leaving soon."

Speaking of Satan himself, I heard the shower turn off upstairs.

We sat at the kitchen table and I asked, "Are you hungry?"

She smiled, "No. Do you want to take a walk later?"

I would so jump in Lake Michigan naked it if would get me away from his house of horrors.

"Sure!"

She asked, "So, when are you coming to let me introduce you to dad? I've told him I had a boyfriend, but I kept you a secret."

I felt my face harden and I shivered with anxiety. "He doesn't know it's me?"

She frowned in confusion, "No. Why, would he be unhappy?"

Oh, I can guess he certainly would be! He's arrested me twice for fighting, once for being caught drinking beer at a party, and I swear it's always him who arrests my dad for drug charges. He is a deputy, so he does do a lot more then the regular police.

I sighed bitterly, "I'm sure if you ask him about me later, you'll learn a few things you don't want to hear."

Her eyes were soft and she promised, "I want to know everything about you, good or bad."

I smiled, but didn't get to reply.

A vicious snarl from the doorway startled me. "And what's all this?"

I glared at my father sourly. It's his fault mom's lying half dead with delirium on the couch.

I coolly responded, "This is a woman, not very observant are you?"

My heart was practically pounding in my chest, but I forced myself to be confident.

He glared at me and threatened, "If you think I won't straighten you out in front of her, your wrong."

I crossed my arms gingerly across my chest and lifted my chin, challenging, "If you don't think I'll stop you, you're an idiot."

I felt a hidden excitement flare inside of me. My first open defiance towards him!

He glanced at the clock, his eyes dark. "Oh hell, boy, you are so lucky I'm late for work!"

I knew I was committing suicide, but something deep inside of me snapped. I didn't want to sit around quietly anymore! Not when all I had to do was look in a mirror and see what the results were.

I muttered, "Excuses."

I must be going crazy! Did I just invite him to come and pound the living hell out of me?

GOD!

Jasper, your a fucking retard!

Dad stomped out of the kitchen, ranting to himself, "Such an ungrateful little bastard. I'll ring his neck, talk to me like that in my house!"

I peered over the doorframe and boldly pointed out, "The house is in mom's name!"

I immediately sprang out of the way as a lamp came soaring at me, shattering against the wall of the kitchen and spraying all over.

Dad roared, "Your fucking dead tonight, Jasper! You just wait!" He slammed the front door closed so hard two pictures fell off of the wall.

He's never thrown lamps before.

Shit!

The many horrible possibilities of what 'dead' meant flittered through my mind and I felt my stomach clench, my knees actually giving out as I fell onto the kitchen chair.

I buried my head in my hands and shook my head. "Fuck! Stupid, stupid, stupid!"

Bella asked me, her eyes wide, "Is he always like that?" Her voice was shaky and frightened. I was too ashamed to tell her what it was really like. Me cowering under him like a kicked dog, crying and begging for him to stop hurting me.

I shook my head and edited, "Worse."

She asked bravely, "How can it be worse?"

I firmly assured her, "You won't want to hear about it."

I sensed her sudden terror and glanced up, her brown eyes were dark with fear and horror.

I suggested instantly, "Let's go see if Alice is home."

She asked me, "Do you want help cleaning up first?"

I kicked a piece of the lamp across the room and sighed, "We always have broken glass around here, just leave it for later."

I ran up the stairs and looked for a shirt. She followed me, peering cautiously into my room as I shuffled through the dresser in my closet.

I asked her self-consciously, "What are you frowning at?" I glanced behind me; the room looked the way it always did.

She pointed out, "There's blood on your blankets."

I frowned darkly, "Oh." I suppose I was so used to my cuts seeping I didn't notice it anymore.

Pulling a shirt on I promised, "I'll wash it later."

She smiled as I took her hand and led her down the stairs. I scribbled that I was leaving on a yellow sticky note and stuck it right to mom's arm. She could find it when she woke up if it was there, maybe.

Bella and I left and I felt more relaxed outside.

However, it was impossible for me to not worry about tonight and imagine how many more things would be broken by dad today: including me.