A/N: Hey everyone! Still here? Okay. Well, long story short, I apologize for not being able to write this for a little while. I'm back and updates should be steady again.

Recap: Jasper and Bella met in NYC. He was 16, she was 18. They were smitten with each other and almost kissed but didn't.

They kept in touch over the next four years. Jasper met Alice and fell head over heels in love. Bella met Edward and everyone (they are the children of politicians) thinks they are together.

Jasper finds out Alice is actually his sister. Bella convinces him to come hang out in California to get his head on straight. She tells Jasper that Edward prefers the romantic company of men but none of the tabloids know this because Edward prefers it that way, so they let everyone believe they're together.

Jasper is kidnapped with Bella because, finding him in her bed (they were just cuddling), the kidnappers assumed he was Edward.

Okay. Ready?


Three weeks and two days.

That was how long Bella and Jasper were kept captive.

They slept wrapped up tightly together, both comforting and protective of each other.

"We're going to be okay," they murmured to each other before falling asleep every night. It should have been uncomfortable - the way they slept - because they were tangled together, arms around each other, legs entwined, so neither could be ripped from the other easily.

Of course, that presented somewhat of a problem when they were awakened one night by shouting and gunfire. They startled awake, but in their tangled position only managed to spill each other awkwardly onto the floor.

"Fuck," Jasper muttered, unwinding their limbs and rolling off Bella as quickly as he could. She gave a pained little whimper but sat up quickly as the noise continued overhead.

"The mattress," Bella said, climbing to her feet.

Jasper grimaced but nodded. The mattress wasn't going to stop bullets, but it was all they had. They toppled the thing, shoving themselves into the corner and pulling the mattress over them. Jasper wrapped his arms around Bella's waist, bringing her back tight against his chest and folding his body over hers.

It was only minutes before the shouting and gun fire was much closer. The door to their little prison opened and quick steps descended. Jasper squeezed Bella tighter. Her breaths were coming in little gasps. Jasper wasn't faring much better. His heart was pounding so hard, he was sure she could feel it against her back.

"Isabella? Jasper?" a deep voice called out. "This is Agent Garrett Grady with the FBI," he called warningly. The mattress disappeared from over them.

Jasper did not let go of Bella as they both peered up.

"I got them," Agent Grady called over his shoulder before he knelt in front of them. "Are you hurt?"

"No," Bella answered for them.

Jasper's eyes darted over his shoulder to where more agents were beginning to descend the stairs.

"That's good. You're safe now. Everything is going to be all right."

~0~

Time existed in confusing lurches and lulls. Though the shoot out had happened so quickly, the aftermath dragged. Jasper and Bella had to wait. There was an ambulance on hand, so they were both checked out at the scene. But they had to cool their jets for a short time there until Agent Grady had the crime scene secure.

"Normally, we'd have you out of here ASAP, but I got word that the g'damn press is camped outside the office." He shook his head. "You're going to need an escort."

"The press?" Jasper echoed.

The agent gave him a small smile. "You're famous, kid. Congratulations." His expression gentled. "But the good news is, your families are being alerted. They'll be brought in so they'll meet you there."

Jasper whimpered before he could help it. He'd harbored the thought, these last horrible weeks, that he would never see his mother again.

That was part of Bella's mantra. She'd promised him over and over that he would get to see her again, get to hug her.

So time dragged as they waited to be taken back into town.

Garrett - as he'd told them to call him - was right about the press. They were swarmed. "Dammit," he muttered under his breath. "We even changed locations..."

They were pulling up to a police station. There was an impressive crowd of milling people and cameras for it being six o'clock in the morning. Jasper was instantly on the defensive.

As they prepared to get out of the van, Bella gripped his hand tightly. He pulled her to his side. They were both glaring, both innately frightened and defensive. Some part of Jasper's logical mind understood these people were not trying to hurt them, but his psyche had not caught up to that line of thinking yet.

He and Bella kept their bodies angled at each other as they walked as quickly as possible. Luckily, as they were surrounded by FBI agents, none of the people could get too close. Still. They were shouting and jarring and generally making things confusing and uncomfortable.

"Bella!" one voice stood out above the others. Jasper looked up in time to see Edward burst out from the front door of the police station, breaking the hold of several officers who tried to stop him.

"Edward!"

Edward tried to pull her to him, but Bella wouldn't let go of Jasper and Jasper wouldn't let go of her. They ended up in an awkward tangle of limbs, the three of them being hurried into the station.

Once they were safely inside, they were completely overrun by family. That was when time warped again. Actually, the world warped - and when he was in his mother's arms, Jasper began to shake uncontrollably, so much so that he sank to the ground. This was when he finally let go of Bella. He fell against his mother and wept for minutes or hours - who could tell?

Between the agents and the officers, they managed to get everyone herded into a conference room.

Everyone was quite a few people, Jasper realized when he lifted his head. His paranoia returned, despite the fact he knew who most of the people in the room were. Automatically, he scanned the room until he found Bella. She was looking at him.

He felt slightly calmer when she gave him a teary little smile.

Garrett introduced them to his partner, Agent Tanya Ivanova. They explained where their kidnappers were being held and went over the basics of how they'd been found.

When they started to talk about Bella and Jasper giving an official statement, both Jasper's mother and Bella's father objected strenuously.

"Don't you think your questions can wait?" Charlie Swan demanded. "Haven't they been through enough? Let us take them home - or at least back to the hotel."

Garrett looked over at Jasper and Bella, his eyes kind but serious. "I know you've both been through hell. Right now, as you've seen, it's a bit of a media circus." He smiled lightly, sardonically. "The media has a way of distorting the truth quickly. It's important to the case - to getting justice for what you've been through - that we hear your versions of the story as soon as possible."

"This is not something we're asking lightly," Agent Denali continued. "It's a difficult thing, to relive memories I'm sure you'd rather put behind you."

"This is crazy," Maria said, holding Jasper closer though he was trying to sit up straight. "Let us take our kids home. Let them rest."

"It's not going to be any easier tomorrow," Agent Denali said, her voice tinged around the edges with impatience.

"She's right," Jasper spoke up before his mother could argue. He took a deep breath. "I'm not going to speak for Bella, but I want to get this over with."

"It's fine," Bella agreed, her voice a little shaky.

Jasper let the two agents lead him away first.

Automatically, Jasper felt twitchy, being away from Bella. He shivered, his hands clenched at his sides, remembering the few times they were separated. It unnerved him when it was Felix who dragged her away - Felix who had made it clear what he wanted, what he would do if it wasn't against Aro's wishes.

When they took Bella way, they left Jasper alone, most of the time, pacing - wondering what they might be doing to her.

Occasionally, though, Demetri would come in.

Jasper shuddered, his heart beginning to speed at the thought of the man. Quickly, he shut his mind down, unwilling to think on it until he absolutely had to.

No, he didn't like being away from Bella. Not at all.

But he breathed through the irrational paranoia, accepting the bottle of water Garrett handed him with trembling fingers. The agents prompted him, and Jasper began to tell his story.

For the most part, the others kept to Aro's promise that they wouldn't be harmed. Technically speaking, they weren't. Oh, if they got uppity, they were pushed to the ground or knocked around a bit, but it never went further than a few shallow scrapes and bruises.

Except...

It was obvious that, with the exception of Aro, their kidnappers got off on Jasper and Bella's fear. Demetri targeted Jasper in particular.

Sometimes it was just words. When Aro pulled Bella out, inevitably Demetri would enter the room, sometimes with Felix.

He would force Jasper to sit in a chair in the middle of the room, pressing his gun to his temple threatening.

"Just test me," he'd warn.

When he was assured of Jasper's cooperation, he would begin to circle. Sometimes he would use the barrel of the gun to push a wisp of hair out of Jasper's face.

"Such a pretty boy," he would murmur, stroking his finger's down Jasper's cheek, down his chest.

His hand would snake around to the back of Jasper's head, would tangle in his hair.

"Do you know what I would do with a pretty boy like you?" he would ask, yanking Jasper's hair until his head was tilted back.

And then, Demetri would whisper filthy things in his ear.

"He just whispered them?" Agent Ivanova asked. "He never acted on them?"

Jasper's eyes lifted. He swallowed hard past the painful lump in his throat as he looked at the woman. "Don't sound so disappointed," he muttered bitterly.

The agent didn't even have the decency to look abashed, so her forthcoming apology fell a little flat. "I'm sorry. We're just trying to put these people behind bars for a long time. It would be helpful if there was something more... concrete we could pin on them."

"I see." Jasper's was voice was low, dangerous. "How very inconvenient for you that he didn't actually rape me."

The word even tasted foul in his mouth, made his stomach twist. He closed his eyes, dizzy, struggling to suppress the nausea.

"That's not-" Agent Ivanova began, but Garrett interrupted.

"Tanya. Maybe give us a few, okay?"

She was going to argue, but something in Garrett's face made her shut her mouth. She nodded succinctly and was gone.

"Sorry about her," Garrett said when they were alone. "She's better with the perps." His voice was purposefully light. "Hell, the only reason I still put up with her is because I'm married to her sister. Would make for awkward family gatherings if I asked for a transfer now."

Jasper just nodded. His head was still spinning. It was difficult to keep his breathing regulated. "He didn't just whisper to me," he admitted, blurting the words out.

It was easier, somehow, with only Garrett. Jasper was suddenly glad his mother had been unable to accompany him into the interview room.

In a halting voice, Jasper told Garrett the rest of the story. He flexed his fists, speaking through gritted teeth.

Whenever Jasper couldn't help himself, whenever he lashed out or tried to fight back, Demetri was quick to put him in his place. If Felix was there, between the two of them, they easily wrestled Jasper down onto the bed or the floor. If it was just Demetri, he would use the threat of his gun or threaten to come after Bella.

Digging the gun into the base of Jasper's skull, he would say - so nonchalantly - "Your little girlfriend... I bet she would take one for the team. She seems the type. A blow job is a blow job if you're getting one."

He would pin Jasper's body against the floor or the bed, grinding his hips against Jasper's ass so he could feel just how much he was enjoying this.

Once, he had forced the barrel of the gun between Jasper's lips, telling him exactly what he actually wanted to put in his mouth.

"Okay, kid. Just breathe." Garrett's steady tone drew Jasper out of his memories. He hadn't realized his breath was coming in furious little gasps. "You're doing real well."

Jasper breathed deep, trying to push through the revulsion. "I'm fine. Agent Ivanova is right. They didn't really do anything to me. They just wanted to get me riled up, is all."

Garrett looked at him for a long moment, an indecisive, uncomfortable expression on his face. But after a beat, he asked the next question.

~0~

Bella couldn't shake the feeling of apprehension that sat like a stone in her gut.

She was exhausted. It felt like it had been months instead of hours since they'd been rescued. And despite the fact she knew the agents weren't going to hurt Jasper, she was utterly terrified for his well-being.

Whenever they were separated, Bella was forever afraid she would be brought back to their room to find him hurt. Often enough, she'd come back to find him in... a state.

She just didn't like being away from him.

"Are you okay?" Edward asked for the thousandth time.

Sighing, she turned to glare at him, and he held his hand - the one that wasn't holding hers - up. "I know, I know." He raised their joined hands so he could stroke her cheek with his knuckles. He stared at her, as if drinking her in. "I just... I was so scared I would never see you again."

Bella shivered. There were quite a few times - especially when Daddy was away for a little while - the insaniac twins reminded Bella just how quickly they could end their lives. It was very clear how in favor they were of killing Jasper and Bella, particularly if they could do the honors.

For the thousandth time, Bella hugged her parents and Edward - and Carlisle and Esme for that matter - simply because she could.

A few minutes later, Bella distracted herself from worrying about Jasper by deciding it was safe enough to use the restroom. She clung to Renee and Edward's hands - Edward was only planning on going as far as the door - feeling a little ridiculous. Still, she couldn't deny the fact she was skittish. Nervous.

She wondered how long she could look forward to the joyful sense of paranoia.

When she came out of the bathroom, quickly grabbing Edward's hand again, she was trying to convince herself it was ridiculous to be so clingy. But just as she was about to let go of him, there was suddenly a man rushing up toward her and the flash of a camera in her face.

Startled, Bella automatically cringed backward into Edward's arm. She looked around, frantic to find Jasper, as the man began shouting at her.

"So how does it feel to be home, Miss Swan? And do you really think Mr. Cullen has forgiven you for what you did to him?"

"What in the ever loving hell is the matter with you?" Edward demanded in a low growl, pulling her hard against his side.

"Hey!" Jasper's furious voice rang out. Bella looked over her shoulder in time to see him wrest his arm out of Agent Grady's grip. "You get the fuck away from her!"

Chaos and shouting ensued. Bella, Jasper, and Edward were quickly herded back into the conference room and got the photographer out even as he continued to holler questions.

Bella was disconcerted.

First of all, both the senators were yelling. Her stepmother Bella could understand. Sue's voice was of the huffing and puffing and blowing the whole house down - pun typically intended - variety. It was Carlisle that really astounded her. He was furious - absolutely livid - and cursing up a storm as he yelled at the police.

"Dammit! This is a fucking police station. How the hell did that asshole get in here?" he fumed.

Bella blinked and shook her head, wondering if she were dreaming. She'd never heard the good Senator Cullen so much as raise his voice. He was known for it.

Still a little gobsmacked, Bella turned to Edward. "What was he talking about?" he asked shakily. "What did he mean about you forgiving me?"

Edward was obviously displeased. He rubbed the back of his neck restlessly.

"Miss Swan, why don't we get this over with?" Garrett encouraged lightly. "We need to talk about the press with all of you anyway. We can do it over a nice, hot, long lunch after we get this out of the way."

Reluctantly, Bella agreed. Before she followed Garrett to the interview room, she darted to Jasper's side, giving him a long hug. "Are you okay?" she asked in his ear.

He chuffed. "No," he whispered back. "But I don't think there's anything to be done about it right now."

Bella nodded. "I know."

Letting him go, Bella steeled herself. If Jasper's pale expression was any indication, this interview wasn't going to be fun at all.

~0~

"Jasper?"

Jasper rubbed his eyes before he turned to his mother. This day was already one of the longest of his life, and it wasn't even noon yet.

He felt jumpy and confused, one foot still in survival mode - tensed and alert because who knew what was coming next - the other trying to fill in the blanks of what they'd been missing these last three weeks.

He gave his mother a small smile. "Yeah?"

Maria Whitlock looked nervous. He hated the gentleness of her voice. All morning long she'd been speaking to him like he was a spooked child. He wondered if that was the aura he exuded, if he looked like he could be frightened by a mere raised voice.

Honestly, he wasn't sure if she was wrong.

"Alice is here."

Whatever Jasper might have been expecting, it wasn't that. He sucked in a sharp breath, his shoulders hunching as he put his head down, resting his elbows on his knees.

"She didn't want to come to come to the station with me," Maria went on quickly. "She thought it might upset you."

Jasper breathed in and out. He wasn't sure what to feel. It was an overload of emotion given everything he'd already been through today.

Just before they were kidnapped, Jasper remembered thinking he was in a better place about Alice. And he still was, to an extent. But still, it heaped an extra layer of disorientation and fear on his already taxed psyche.

He had mixed emotions about the possibility of seeing Alice.

He'd thought of it plenty this last three weeks. He'd thought of everyone he might never get to see, of all the things he would never get to say.

Part of him was dying to see her again, to be able to tell her all the things he hadn't - how important she was to him, how even though they couldn't be together, he wanted to find a way they could be in each others lives.

But he wasn't ready. He didn't know if he could handle seeing her yet, or if it would send him into a tailspin again.

And given that he was already in a tailspin about this whole ordeal, the results of seeing her again felt like they could be... disastrous. Really, every emotion, every possibility was hitting him in extremes.

Then there was his mother. Maria didn't precisely know about Alice and Jasper's genetic ties, and Jasper wasn't about to tell her. It would hurt her too much. So having Alice in the same vicinity as his mother made Jasper's heart race.

Maria rubbed his back. "You don't have to see her, of course." She paused. "I just don't understand, Jasper. Are things really that bad between you? These last few weeks... She's been beside herself with worry for you. It's obvious she still loves-"

"Mom," Jasper cut her off, sitting up straight. He just didn't want to hear those words. He leaned back, staring up at the ceiling.

"Did she hurt you, baby, because-"

"No." Jasper wasn't normally the type that would interrupt his mother - she'd raised him to be polite - but to say he was out of sorts today was putting it mildly. "She didn't do anything. It wasn't like that." He took a deep breath. "Our split was... amicable."

"I'm sorry, sugar. I'm just trying to figure out what's going on. What on Earth could have sent you packing for California? You said you were going to be gone a week and it was months. Then all this." She put her hand against her mouth, closing her eyes as she struggled with her emotions. She rallied before Jasper could comfort her. "All this speculation about what you were doing with this girl. What you got yourself into."

That caught Jasper's interest. "What speculation?"

His mother looked on him with a wary expression like she was trying to be open minded but she was confused and a little disapproving. "Well, Edward is Bella's boyfriend. You were in their home."

"And?" Jasper felt like he was missing something.

"And... that awful man said he found you in her bed. That it was an accident he took you." Maria's voice broke at the end.

Jasper blinked, trying to understand the implication of what she was saying.

"Honey, I'm not judging you. I'm just trying to figure out what happened. You were so in love with Alice..."

"You think we were having an affair - Bella and I," Jasper realized out loud.

Maria only stared back with questioning eyes.

"Oh, shit," Jasper muttered, slumping forward with his head in his hands. His head spun as he thought of all the reporters outside and all the questions they'd hurled at him.

This was going to get complicated.


A/N: Thanks to JessyPT, jfka06, and barburella.

SO! How are we all doing?