I do apologize if this chapter was not what you were expecting; I had a severe case of writer's block (speaking of which, if you care at all for this story then you better tell Claire Sail how sexy she is, because as my sole reviewer for the last chapter she was my only outside motivation for finishing this chapter). Well, actually my ideas seemed lame to me once I wrote them down and I couldn't think of ones I liked more. I guess this was just meant to be, and I do like certain things about it, enough to post it. And, I did learn from this chapter that I'm NOT an action writer. The epilogue is a certain thing, now as I want a deeply sentimental ending that matches the rest of the story (and because I have half of it written already). But for now, here's our exciting conclusion!

Bella's POV

Jasper was gone…willing myself to him would not bring me back to my body, to where I should have been. I'd have to get away myself, find my own way back. But even then, after hearing what the man on the other end of the phone said…I wasn't even sure where my body was. Regardless, it was clear that I had to get out of here now. I flew out of Charlie's room as quickly as I could, towards the house, far away from my father and the dark trees, seeming even darker now, praying that I was going the right way.

Please, I begged, hoping to see the at least the bright, hollow aura of Jasper's house. I strained my focus, my 'sight', for the faint glow my body had given off, the only place I'd be safe from…

It rose behind me. I didn't need to look to see it, its dark, immaterial reach searching for me just out of the corner of my vision. Its cold presence tainted the air all around it, permeating my incorporeal form. It almost had a hold of me. Its influence shook me to the core, started to drain me of hope or any of the feelings keeping me here.

"Bella!" My grandmother called once more, offering to save me. More than ever I wanted to go to her, to wish myself to her side and be safe…

And suddenly I could see her in the distance. She was far ahead, shining almost the way Jasper had in the sunlight; and though she looked more like she did in the oldest photographs of herself in her old photo album than the little old lady from my memories, I knew for certain who she was. Her aura was as golden as the lady who'd cried for Jasper, and her voice was sweet and melodic. She looked like an angel, glowing, her dark hair flowing all around her, and reaching out to me, offering safety; the opposite of this horrible entity chasing me. Desperate, I moved towards her as fast as I could, reaching for her hand.

The being in front of me was not my grandmother. Again, I had fallen for an intricate and cruel illusion. Just as I was about to grasp her fingers, I realized. The long, dark hair flowing around her body was as absent of light as the creature's billowing form, and the black, inky tendrils were flowing from her eyes and from under her fingernails as she offered me her otherwise delicate looking hand. A terrifying grin split her face in half, and more darkness leaked and twisted out from between the hundreds of white teeth. I tried to scream, to withdraw my hand but she—it—grabbed it before I could.

I don't remember exactly how it felt to die the first time, and for that I'd thought I was lucky. Up until then. Murky, obsidian coils curled around and throughout me, overtaking me completely. Ice crept through my form and stabbed me in what felt like my heart, sending unbearable pain through me, freezing and constricting me from the inside. Worse, I was being drained of emotion, memory, thought, just everything. Soon I would be nothing; nonexistent. My vision didn't fade so much as the world around me turned black. Little by little, ink clouded my vision and even the sun rising in the distance was drained away. And I let it, neutral to what was happening; no longer caring what happened to me, my grandmother, or Charlie, or…

There was still one more thing I could see, prismatic and more brilliant than anything else. Especially in this darkness, its beauty was incomparable and losing sight of everything and even losing my existence was just about worth catching a glimpse of the shining being, however far away it was. The colors were both rich and gleaming; reminding me of delicate pinpricks of stars, white expanses of sand, blue moons, roses in the desert, sunsets, and sunrises all at once. I was almost content to be taken over after seeing this luminosity, but suddenly one more memory came to mind.

Jasper! My mind and will was suddenly revived and I screamed. Perhaps it was my immaterial form, or the limbo and in-between state of existence I was being dragged into, but my screech pierced the darkness. As if startled, the dark matter's grasp on me loosened and withdrew; suddenly the pure black was just a murky fog. I had weakened it somehow, perhaps with my show of emotion or resistance. I could vaguely see the world it was trying to take me away from through the dark mist.

I didn't hesitate. I flew as fast as I could away while it was still stunned and took a chance, willing myself to Jasper…

Jasper's POV

The ambulance was too easy to keep up with. In fact, it was infuriatingly slow compared to me and I was losing patience fast. Every second, the driver took the risk of me grabbing the vehicle, tearing a hole through it, and stealing Bella away. And I'd have to snap his neck just for being a witness. Worse, the moron wasn't even going to most direct route to the hospital.

'Why should he rush? She's dead.' I was almost relieved to hear the Major taunting me again. He'd been conspicuously absent during my violent feeding—something I would have thought he'd want to be present for—and I was worried we'd merged without my meaning to.

Annoyed, I tried to sense what the idiot driver, the sole person in the ambulance, was feeling. Maybe there was a decent cause for this delay. He was nervous, excited, conflicted…what was the matter with him? Did he know Bella? I could feel the Major's amusement and anger bubbling up. He knew something I did not.

"What is it?" I demanded mentally.

"Are you that dense, Hale?" He practically spat the alias I'd used. "Do something."

His words made me belligerent and I growled, turning my attention back to the vehicle as it slowed to a stop and pulled into a large, abandoned trail in the woods. The driver was trying to calm himself down as he unfastened the seatbelt. I could hear him clumsily making his way towards the back of the car. The growl in my chest deepened. I couldn't think of any good reason he should be approaching my Bella, but this could be my golden opportunity to take her without him seeing me. I stealthily made my way over to the cab, setting my hand on the back latch, and that's when I sensed it—lust.

"Now do you understand, Hale? What, sick thoughts only alright when you think them?" He was trying to mock me, but the Major sounded as enraged as I was. We could both hear the bastard touching her face, and the Major snarled as he spoke, "you'd better do something!"

"I think this is a job for both of us."

I let my anger take hold and I dug my nails into the metal like it was fabric and ripped the door off of its hinges. The human's lust turned into shocked fear as I flung the scrapped metal aside and jumped up into the ambulance. I grabbed the stunned driver by his shirt and snarled in his face slowly, relishing his attempts to cry out, to scream for help.

I threw him against the far wall of the cab. He hit the thin sheet of metal with a sharp clang and dropped to the floor, groaning and dizzy. A quick glance around brought my attention to a camera in the top corner and I grabbed it, watching the disbelief in his eyes as I crumpled it as easily as if it were paper. I approached him slowly and grabbed the top of his head, forcing him to look up at me. I should have felt sorry for him, the sheer terror I could see and feel should have inspired some kind of mercy. But all I could focus on was the perverse lust he'd shown towards my mate while she was helpless and the traces of her scent he didn't deserve to have on him. With a quick, satisfying twist, I snapped his neck.

"…Jasper?" Now it was my turn to be stunned. Her voice was melodious, soprano and soft but not unlike her human sound; a jarring end punctuation to the horrible cracking sound his broken spine had made.

I heard her bare feet lightly touch the ground as she got up, drawing closer—probably because of the human's scent. Finally, I turned around to look at her.

Her hair was longer, and flowed rather than hung past her waist. It was darker, though it had a strange but beautiful golden-red shine where the light caught it. She looked taller, lither and her skin was paler than I'd ever seen it, threatening to burst into colorful light as the sun tried to peek in through the broken car. She took another step towards me with haunting grace, even for a vampire; her dark, crimson eyes were settled on me though they were starting to drift towards the crumpled human. I grabbed her by the chin gently to direct her attention back towards me. I wanted to look at her for as long as I could, unconvinced she wasn't some kind of apparition or illusion.

She stared back at me for a long moment before suddenly pulling away, growling slightly and she instantaneously found herself on the other side of the cramped vehicle; stunned by her own speed.

"Bella." I used my ability to keep her calm and the stern voice I'd used with newborns before. Her eyes darted to the dead man, then to me once more.

"Don't…" She was conflicted. I could sense that she had a deep attraction to me, that she wanted nothing more than to come to me—except, maybe to feed—but she didn't trust me. I couldn't blame her. I decided to sweeten the deal a little and I reached down, grabbing the limp body of the driver. Her eyes widened as she thought I was taking her prey and she stiffened, but I reached a hand out towards her.

"Come here, darlin'."

I savored the feeling of her pressed against me, and even if it was out of necessity she still leaned her head on my chest. Even the sunlight seemed brighter. For once I appreciated it; everything, really. It was like becoming a vampire all over again, dying and coming back to life one more time. I'd gained better senses, and a higher capacity for pride, happiness; everything. Unfortunately, I also gained higher capability for remorse, regret for what I'd done to my mate. But hell, I'm not one to sit around feeling sorry for myself.

I smirked as I carried her through the woods, barely restraining her with one arm as she shook. She'd gotten some blood on her clothes and it was proving a little too tempting, even though she'd just gorged herself. I'd have to show her how to eat more efficiently. She sighed a bit, actually feeling somewhat secure in my arms even if I was subduing her.

"I'll show you how to get rid of this thing." I told her, gesturing towards the body I was dragging behind me. It wasn't difficult; she'd really drained the little fucker. Her eyes nervously darted to him, but she was too hungry to be disturbed. I covered her nose as I caught the faint sounds of search parties in the distance, "I'll show you everything about being a vampire, alright darlin'?"

She nodded, at least agreeing to that. She did seem disoriented, even for a newborn; but I'd have forever to ask why, to ask what she'd experienced during that week. I'd have forever to be her sire, and convince her I could be more. For now, I'd let her rest; to get her bearings. There was a pull between us, like gravity. I knew we were mates and she'd someday understand it, too. I'd give her as long as she needed—Maybe, the Major growled—I'd just have to learn to control my need for her. And as much as I hated to see her go through the hunger and frenzy of being a newborn, experiencing this bloodlust might help her understand my actions. I had a strange feeling she already understood more than I thought possible. Besides, I had forever to explain, and to make it up to her by protecting and providing.

"Jasper…" She finally spoke up again, my attention instantly honed in on her sweet voice, "where are we going…?"

"Where ever you want to, darlin'."

I'll be really cool and post the epilogue as soon as it's finished, because the story's not quite complete without it. Also, someone brought to my attention that the story (in their opinion) doesn't quite live up to its warnings. The reason why is that the original draft is much more dark/violent and doesn't have a happy ending (or wasn't going to, anyway). The warnings are partially because of some of those elements that made it into this version, though I still think it's pretty dark. I am toying with the idea of turning the 'bad version' into a dark one-shot/shorter story, but for now I want to focus on my other works so it depends if there's any demand. Stay tuned for the last part of the story!