Thanks to all you reviewers! You make me happy.

And thanks to cullen818, who has to be, like, the speediest Beta ever. For realz.

God damnit, Bella!" I roared, throwing myself away from the bed and turning towards the door. The spell broken, Bella turned her eyes to me. I stopped, I told myself. At least I stopped.

"What, Jasper? What? What did I do?!" she screeched, feeling my anguish and reacting. I wasn't careful keeping my wall up because when I was this anguished it was hard, and I wasn't doing a good job with it at all.

"Nothing, you did nothing! It was all me," Why did I keep doing this? Did I have a death wish? I don't thrive off of power. And this was Bella. Bella. Trusting, sweet, innocent Bella. Everything good, and here I was. Everything evil. "God-I'm so sorry. I'm so…so fucking sorry!" Between Alice leaving and Edward missing in action, I was falling apart. I was taking it out on Bella, and I'd finally reached my breaking point. I felt like I was spinning in circles and every time I tried to step away I fell off a cliff. I couldn't keep my head above water. Drowning.

"Sorry? Jasper, I don't understand!" I tried to calm myself down, because I was causing her to freak out.

"I shouldn't have done that. I manipulated you, and I'm sorry."

"I asked you to. You were showing me your power. What's the problem?"

"You don't understand. I took it too far. I wanted to take it farther. It's sick." I hung my head shamefully and turned away from her.

"Take it further?" she asked curiously. She still didn't understand.

"Just then, when I hit you with that lust, it…affected me. All I could think about was making you want me like I wanted you. I wanted to lean forward and take you right there." This time I looked her straight in the eyes, trying to convey the seriousness. She took me in for a minute before she realized what I said. Her eyes widened and her hands flew up to her mouth.

"Oh. Oh…" she whispered. "So wait. You wanted me? And you…oh." We just sat there staring at each other while she digested the horrid thing I'd done. And I still hadn't told her about all of the other times. "Why?" Ahh, there it is. I was waiting for her to ask me. I expected her to run from the room when she got her answer.

"That's the thing. I don't know! It's not as if I have something against you, but you're emotions just…bend…to me. It's so easy! And you feel everything so powerfully that it almost gets me drunk on what you're feeling. Even if you're feeling what I'm telling you to. Like earlier? It felt like you wanted me too." I was like a teenage boy begging for affection. If my previous family could see me now, they would laugh. Well, don't worry, after this Bella will never want anything to do with me again. I reached out to taste her emotions, but I got nothing from her.

"Have you done this before?" she asked. Damn.

"No." Liar! Why must I lie! Apparently I have no verbal filter at all. I panicked at my sudden response. I had no justification. I just couldn't stand the thought of that look in her eyes if I told her the truth. I knew she would believe me, too. I knew that I would have to come clean, but it wasn't going to be tonight.

"Well, I can sort of understand that. It's nice to feel something good for a change. And you stopped, didn't you? That counts for something. But I don't understand something-why me?" After all of that, she's worried about why I was attracted to her?

"You really have no idea, Bella?" She shook her head. "You're beautiful. I may be cold and heartless, but even I can see that, sugar. And when you're like that, writhing on the bed and calling my name, let's just say you're damn lucky that I'm such a gentleman." Gentleman my ass. Might as well go all out if I'm going to lie my way to hell. Heat flushed her cheeks as her modesty littered the room in pink.

"Yeah, right. You're just saying that to make me forgive you." I chuckled. Apparently it worked. How easily she forgives…

"Just because my brother was too much of a fool to see that doesn't mean that I am. You're gorgeous-inside and out." You would think I was courting the girl by the way I was talking, but every word of it was true. I don't think it's possible to meet a more tender-hearted person. What was wrong with me? It surprised me to feel her emotions tinged with grief. "What's the matter? I hope I didn't upset you…"

"What? No! I was just thinking." I waited, nodding for her to go on. "About Alice, actually. I miss her, and I can't pretend to understand her reasoning, but I can't help but miss her. She was always the one who made me feel good about myself. You saying those things…" We had come to Alice. The change of subject was worse instead of better. I didn't want to talk about Alice. All it did was make me hurt.

"I understand. Alice had her own way about things." I smiled nostalgically, but I couldn't hide the wave of heartache that had amplified itself. I missed my wife.

"Tell me about her." She whispered. I was abashed at how quickly our conversation had turned-how easily she let things go. And I owed it to her to answer her request.

"Alice saved me. When she found me, I was wandering with no plans and no life. She brought me to a family and loved me with everything she had. She was always remorseful that she couldn't remember anything from her human life. She felt like a part of her was missing, and I always wished that I could help her like she helped me. She never listened to others, always following her own path. She was so happy here with everyone! I can't begin to understand what she must have seen to make her leave." I shook my head. To leave me, I added.

"Tell me about your wedding. I'm sure it must have been extravagant." Bella grinned.

"Oh, that it was. We married after we moved in with the Cullens-Alice wanted everyone to be there. They were living in Alaska, near the Denali's at the time, so they were there as well. It was snowing, but the sun was out. Her dress cost a fortune, but I've never seen anyone so beautiful in all my life. She ran down the aisle pulling Carlisle behind her in her eagerness. And I never looked away again." Bella was thoughtful for a moment; I imagine trying to see the picture painted before her.

"I'm sorry she left you. You love her so much, I just won't understand." She sniffed, and I could see tears running down her face. She was crying for me.

"I just wasn't good enough, Bella. I wasn't strong enough. She saw somebody better in her future." That rippling fissure in my heart that I've kept pretty much in check was shaking. It was dangerously close to ripping open. Anger danced around her suddenly as she whipped her head to face me.

"Don't ever let anyone tell you that, Jasper! I spent so long thinking that I wasn't anything special-that I wasn't good enough. The first time Edward left me, I fell apart because I just knew I wasn't worth it. But staying with your family this time around changed that. All the support I've gotten made me realize that I was actually worth something. And I'm telling you right now that Alice's leaving was her loss." She fumed, face flushed with pride.

"And you're telling me this? After I just admitted to manipulating you?"

"Yes, because everybody makes mistakes. Everybody does stupid stuff. It's human nature. It's not about being perfect. You have to make a new life for yourself outside of Alice! She left you-show her why it was a mistake! It's what I'm trying to do." She was looking at me with such a furious finality that I almost couldn't believe it was coming from Bella.

"I don't know how," I whispered. "I don't know how to live without her." I felt like a whimpering child. She looked at me, calculating, and then pulled me to her in a move that caught me off guard.

"You just have to try," she murmured.

In Volterra…

Edward's POV

Oh my God…my mind screamed as the hot blood flowed into my mouth and I knew that nothing had ever been this…this….

Good.

I couldn't remember why I stopped, and why it mattered to even care. This was my nature. This was delicious. I was full. I hadn't been completely satiated in eighty some-odd years. Away from Carlisle I couldn't understand anymore. Nobody here was ashamed of me for this-in fact it was quite the opposite. I could feel Aro's prideful gaze on me as I gulped like a hungry child. No shame. As the pulsing slowed I pulled my head back and let out a small cry of pure bliss. Don't get me wrong-I fought at first. I didn't want this. I begged Aro to let me go-let me do it my way. But he insisted, claiming that we were family and this was how it was done. He bit her first and then threw her in my direction. "If you don't finish her, she will change. And then we will kill her. Save her the pain." He told me. She was in so much pain-I only wanted to end it. Aro told no one to help me. So I took her. And that's when I lost my mind.

"Am I to assume that you're no longer angry with me, child?" Aro asked, walking forward.

"You assume correct, master." I replied.

And we can't forget about Alice…

Alice's POV

What am I going to do? What now? OhmyGodohmyGodohmyGod…he didn't want me. Why didn't he want me? The visions were so clear, and I was having them for so long, and we were together, I know it! Together and happy. But when I look now, I can't see us. I can't see anything involving us. Everything's just fuzzy, and I don't know why! I pleaded with him to stay and let me explain. To let me tell him about myself. But he was frightened and he fled. I chased him for a bit, but he was faster than me.

I couldn't see him. I need someone. Anyone. I need to know that someone still loves me. That someone wants me. My future is a blur! So blurry…

Jasper. I'll call Jasper. He'll talk to me-he'll make it better. He always makes it better. I just needed…something. I picked up the phone and dialed the familiar number, already feeling marginally better. It rang twice. I didn't wait for him to speak.

"Jasper! Oh, thank God. I miss you! I don't know what to do. He doesn't want me-he left. I tried to talk to him, and he left. I don't know what to do-I think I should come home. I think—" I was going to tell him that I think maybe I was wrong and that we should get back together when I was cut off.

"You don't get to talk to him right now, Alice." Bella answered coldly. That's odd-why was Bella answering Jasper's phone?

"What's going on, Bella? Where's Jasper?"

"He's in the other room. I took his phone. Okay, well he gave it to me but that's not the point. And I'm telling you that you're not going to spew that crap at him right now. You have no idea what you did to him when you left. I'm not going to let you do anymore damage. I loved you like a sister-but I'll never understand why he wasn't good enough for you. I'm sorry your backup plan fucked you over. No-you know what? I'm not." I heard the line go dead.

Oh, snap! Now, who saw that coming?