Chapter 9

Bella's Point of View

It started out a normal day for me but little did I know it was going to end horribly; or seemed like it at this moment. Edward and Alice went to hunt so it was just me, Jasper, Nessie, Esme, and Carlisle in the common room. Emmet and Rosalie were off doing God knows what and frankly I could care less. The volturi twins were with their respective mates who just so happen to be best friends, go figure. Suddenly a flaring of the fireplace caught my vamperic eye and I leaned as close as I dared to look at it. I jerked back in alarm upon seeing Draco's head in the flames. I was even more startled when he spoke.

"Bella! Thank goodness I found you, where's Jasper?" He asked, almost yelling. "Why do you need Jasper here?" I questioned. "Because what I've seen concerns the both of you and no one else." He growled. Immortality suited him well I thought. Without turning I knew Jasper had came into the room simply by his sent; hay and magnolias. I must admit for a while now every time I was near him I felt a stirring, something I wasn't sure was real but it was there nonetheless. I shook my head and returned to the issuse at hand.

"You called, Draco?" Jasper asked in his softly-accented voice. That voice made me tremble just a little but he didn't notice. Draco nodded and began to speak. "I was talking to mother in the sitting room at Grimauld Place when out of nowhere I had a vision. This one was of Edward and Alice…and they definatly WEREN'T hunting. At first I was shocked and thought that my power was clashing with my magic but then I cast a spell to reveal if what I saw was true. It…was; I'm so sorry, believe me I must have cast the spell twenty times and each time the result was the same." Jasper and I stared at each other before I broke down in tearless sobs. I vaguely heard Draco repeat his apology and then a light sheen of calm spread over me. I smiled up at Jasper before holding out my arms; he ran into them and shook, almost crumbling to the floor.

Under his breath, in jagged whispers I heard "My Ali, my Ali how could you?" My unbeating heart broke for him. Edward had left me once so I handled it a bit better but Alice and Jasper had been together 60+ years. After a few minutes, or it could have been hours our sobs stopped. It didn't mean we were ready to face the world without breaking but it did mean that we could face our cheating spouses with fury. And that we did. The minute they came in the room the yelling started; screams of 'how could you?' and 'get out!' could be heard, I'm sure through all the castle. And sure enough everyone came in. Carlisle and Esme were shocked, Rose and Emmet looked positively furious. Jane, Alec, Ron, and Hermione stood not knowing what to do. Nessie stepped up and did the last thing I thought she would: she slapped Edward. "How could you do this to Mom and Uncle Jasper? Have you gone insane?"

I have never been more proud of my daughter in my undead life. Alice was shocked and trying to hide behind Edward but Jasper pulled her by the arm and shook her , roaring "60 years Alice! I stopped drinking humans, left Maria; hell I left my hometown for what? So you could lie and say you love me when really you are in love with my brother?" I had never seen him unleash such anger with anyone, certainly not Alice but somehow I always knew he would. He lowered his voice but still gripping her delicate arm, said "And you thought you would control me? Well newsflash: no one controls Jasper Whitlock! Especially not a cheating, manipulative pixie." And with that he released her and as she scampered off to who cares where, Jasper collapsed into the nearest chair; dry sobbing. My eyes narrowed as I looked at the former love of my life. I tok an un-necessary breath and hissed "Why did I ever marry you? I knew in the back of my mind you wouldn't stay; no matter how much you professed to love me. But now I know better and just so you know I think Jasper is a thousand times the man you never were." Shock was the main emotion in the room as Edward sputtered, trying to reply but I was no where near finished.

" I'm sure you knew this, even if you can't read my mind, but I haven't been in love with you for a while now. Frankly I'm glad you two cheated because then I would be stuck in a loveless sham of a marriage. And now I am free to profess my love to the one who truly deserves it." Here I turned to the sobbing vampire in the chair, his head in his hands. I knelt down on the crimson carpet and ever so gently took his hands in mine, prying them from his face. "Look at me Jasper, please. I can't stand you hurting like this, you mean too much to me now for the pain to continue." And with that I kissed him; the sweetness of his lips felt like home.

Jasper's Point of View

As I sat there with Bella's lips on mine I gaged everyone's emotions. Bella was full to the brim with love, pure love; Edward was in disbelief. Carlisle and Esme , always as one, were torn between happines and shock with a little bit of anger. Rosalie was surprised but not angry and Emmet was just happy that we were happy. Nessie's emotions were spilt a few ways: happiness, sadness, anger, and quite a few more. The foursome by the door were in vary stages of shock but I paid them little mind. My own emotions were so tangled all I could make out were staggering amounts of love and half anger-half sadness. The anger/sadness combo was understandable as I had just found out my mate was ufaithful and with her 'brother' no less. The love was confusing; not to say I didn't like it, I was just unsure hwat to do about it.

Finaly she puled away and I spoke. "Bella what exactly was that? Not that I'm complaining but I am a bit confused." If she were human still her entire body would have been a deep red but as it was she only ducked her head and mumbled "Becaue I love you." That threw me for a loop and I wondered in the back of my mind if vampires could get dizzy. Then I remebered she needed a response of some sort. Gently I lifted her head up and softly whispered "Bella I love you too." The expression on her face was heavenly, one I hope I see every day for the rest of my immortal life. I drew her to me and kissed her, ignorant of the cat-calls (Emmet, Ron, and Alec) and the whispers (Rose, Hermione, and Esme). This beauty in my arms was the only thing I focused on. I was somewhat aware of the protriat hole swunging open then slaming shut. The clearing of someone's throat was what brought us to the surface.