Hello everyone… First of all, to my all-time readers... I'm sooo sorry * gets on her knees, begging for mercy* I must say, I've failed you guys. I won't be giving excuses, as I've none, but please, allow me to trust you with the new version of Chapter 6… This is for you guys!

Chapter 6: Dogs and Leeches

JPOV

I was watching her from the edge of the forest. How a tiny little human could hold the attention of not only one, but seven vampires? But deep down I knew she was special, not only for my family, but for me. I couldn't stop watching her, even though she didn't know it. She held my attention like nothing else, not even thirst could surpass it. I couldn't almost control the lust on the first day of school. She had grown up quite a bit since that day at the park, and now... Now I couldn't stay away from her. Edward was surprised by her silent mind, just as everybody else at our house. I was suspicious and hiding my thoughts from him was a lot harder nowadays, I just... I just wanted to protect her, she was innocent, and shouldn't be involved in our world. And mostly, she was MINE.

My inner beast purred when I smelled her, and asked me to go closer, to be able to enjoy that delight, but I couldn't... Not yet.

BPOV

I woke up from the dream, and it was wiped away from my memory, I stayed with just the feeling of inadequacy and dread. I was already half past five, so I decided to start my day early, musing about what my dream was about, but I couldn't remember it for my life. I let it drop for now. After I finished my shower, and changed into my clothes for the day, I went downstairs to prepare breakfast. I started while I heard Charlie waking up, I wanted to surprise him.

When he saw the table ready with his morning coffee, French toasts, bacon and pop-tarts, his mouth was agape.

"Hey, Bells. Woke up early, huh?" He said, mirth dancing in his brown eyes, while he smiled at me.

"Yeah, dad. Couldn't let you go to work without proper nourishment, now, could I?" I said smiling right back at him. "I won't be home after school today, dad. I gotta go to the Cullen's house, I've got a History project going on with one of them, and it's due next week..." I said waiting for his reply.

"No prob, kiddo. I'll probably head down to the Clearwater's anyway, Sue's making fried fish tonight, and they invited me."

I smiled, happy that my dad didn't stop his life because of my arrival. I knew he often dined at the Clearwater's house when I wasn't here, and I didn't want him to stop everything because of me. We sat down for breakfast, eating in silence. I've always loved how we could be just comfortably silent around one another, unlike my mom, who could blab her life away in ten minutes. She was really talkative, but I loved her anyway.

I went to school a little earlier than normal, enjoying the ride. Even though I didn't live that far from school, driving calmed me. I got out of my beautiful car (I was in love!), and headed inside running from the rain that had started pouring while I was walking out. I found myself colliding to a hard body just right after I entered the school.

"I'm sorry, Darlin" a velvet voice with a thick accent said. I looked up to find the topaz eyes of none other than Jasper Hale, or was it Whitlock?.

I couldn't help but stare right into his eyes, and visions of red mixed with the yellow tone of his eyes danced before me. I was so enraptured that I didn't notice someone else come in and crash against me. When I turned to see who that was, I found myself staring at a broad chest that could only belong to Emmet Cullen.

"Ouch!" I said, rubbing my back, they were surely hard, and bumping into not one, but two of them was not a nice way of gaining bruises. But hey, they couldn't do anything about it, so I let it slide. They weren't about to guess that I knew what they were... not yet. I apologized to both of them and made my way to American History, waiting to see Alice. I really had to talk to them soon.

After a long and boring day, in which I couldn't but think that Jasper was the man that I'd seen at the park, only that something changed his eye color, we decided to head directly to the Cullen's. It seemed that I wasn't the only one anxious to get this project done. Alice was just as or more eager to do it as me. We entered the library and I seated in what now was MY chair. And started typing on my notebook, looking at our notes.

"I wish we had a picture of this guy" I said nonchalantly, like making an observation. "It seems like he didn't exist, almost. I wonder if he really did, or if it's just a made up story..."

I watched Alice's reaction carefully. She looked like she was going to confront me about it, until Jasper showed up right beside me, looking feral.

"How can you say such a thing, Bella? Just because there aren't any pictures, it doesn't mean that he didn't exist. His story is true, I assure you." He said with a passion I hadn't seen before.

"And how can you be so sure about it? It's not like you know him or anything" I said with fierceness. I wasn't going to let him get to me. I wanted the truth, and I suspected that the truth was that Major Jasper Whitlock didn't die in 1863 like suspected, but that he was standing right before me, very much alive. Well, as much alive as a vampire can be.

"I...I..." He stuttered, but fell silent. He just looked at me like I was something between the most interesting book he'd ever seen, or his worst nightmare. Suspicion crept its way into me, coming from him. What the hell? I thought.

"You...? What, Jasper? Are you gonna enlighten me about the life of a missing soldier, that has no proof of ever existing, but the stories told by his comrades? Or are you gonna stand all day looking at me like that? I'm not really into the second, so I hope you choose your first option, Hale." I said, almost seething. I centered myself and calmed down. I didn't wanna start a dispute with a vampire that could kill me in a second, that's for sure. Even though I never felt any dangerous vibes coming from him, not when I was five, nor now, I could never be sure.

He kept on looking at me, now with his mouth agape. It seems that today was the day of open mouths, with my dad first, then Jasper. Then he sat down next to me and looked right into my eyes saying "Just WHAT do you know, Swan?"

I just freezed in my place, looking into his eyes. He was enrapturing, and I couldn't get myself to look away. I didn't wanna tell them everything, but a wave of calmness and cooperativeness got into me and I started talking...

"I'm not stupid, Hale" I started, making him open his mouth wider than before."Or should I say Major? Or Whitlock? If you think you have me fooled, you're more than mistaken. I didn't grow up near an Indian tribe without gaining some knowledge on legends, and your family is not as good at acting to the observant eye. Thank God, I believe I am the only one observant enough to catch on your mistakes, but be sure that I know what all of you are. I won't tell, but I won't turn my head on it. You don't have to pretend in front of me, but only if you assure me that you mean no harm to the people of this town. I won't go into this blind, or unsafe. So c'mon vampy, show me what you got." I finished with my left eyebrow raised at him, and a smirk dancing on my face. He didn't see that coming.

Alice started screaming right then... "What? What are you saying Bella? Are you accusing us of something? Why?" She said, bringing up the act... She didn't realize I heard her whisper "How couldn't I have seen this?"to herself, wondering what she was talking about.

But Jasper... He just froze on his place above me, looking at me like I had just open Pandora's Box, and spilled every disease known into him. He was silent, again. But he got out of his trance-like posture and told me "Say it. Say what I am, what WE are, Bella. Out loud".

"Vampires" I said without a doubt.

He just looked at me, and an instant later, the whole Cullen family stood before me, looks of hatred, surprise, fear and doubt were in their eyes, but two of them stood out: Happiness, and Love. One coming from one Mary Alice Cullen, and the other from one Major Jasper Whitlock.

I grabbed my things, and went home right away, avoiding talking with all of them, after reassuring Alice that I would come back the next day to do our project, and talk. I just wanted to let the news sink in for them. I knew it was a surprising thing to hear that somebody else knew about them.

When I got home, Billy's truck was at the driveway, and I found him, Jake and Dad all seating in the living room watching last week's football game on the DVR. Jake looked even taller than the other day, and his hair was cut sharply short. He was wearing cut jeans, and a T-shirt. I thought he was crazy, wearing that when outside it couldn't have been over 60 degrees, but instantly caught on something. If the Cold One legends were true, were the wolf spirit par also? I motioned him to come talk to him in the kitchen, and right out asked him "Jacob, don't even dare bullshit me, are you a fucking werewolf?"

JBJBJBJBJBJB

Miles away, somewhere near Montana, someone said "Ok, hon. We better get going. There's a lot of fun coming, and I don't wanna miss it". Right afterwards, two figures disappeared into the night.

State Police men found two dead bodies the next day. Nobody had seen or heard anything. They just thought it was a robbery gone bad, and let it slide.

WC: 1746.

Lots of love. Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Pleaseeeeeeeee Review!

Issis.