Bella's first, second, and third kisses with Jasper had left the girl breathless and light headed. New emotions stirred inside of her, taking root deep in her chest, bursting and blooming like flowers in her veins. The two merely stared at one another, wonder written on their faces. The moment was ruined by the rumble of Charlie's car in the driveway.
Knowing she must look to be in quite a state, Bella broke the tense silence. "I should go to the bathroom to calm down. Can you fend off Charlie for a few minutes?"
Jasper nodded, "I can give him updates on your truck and keep him occupied for a a while. He feels a little suspicious, I assume at seeing my truck, so make it quick, and be sure you brush your hair, too."
Bella touched her head to find tiny snarls near the nape of her neck where Jasper must have tangled his fingers at some point. She giggled and ran up the stairs, closing the bathroom door quietly behind her as she heard the front door open.
She stared into the mirror as the muffled tones of Jasper's voice speaking to her father reached her. It sent butterflies fluttering under her skin to each blossom that had sprouted inside of her, affecting her even from a distance. Bella gripped the edge of the counter to ground herself, trying to stop the smile that was creeping up her face.
Breathe, girl. Charlie is downstairs and waiting for you. Time for Operation Normal Bella: flush the toilet to pass time naturally, wash your hands, and splash some cool water on your face. Brush your hair or put it up. All of these ideas are better than just standing here doing nothing.
Following her own advice, Bella set to it, finishing Operation Normal Bella tasks in a matter of minutes, resembling something very close to her usual self. She did one last check and slid her sleeve down, covering the bruises Edward had left and opened the door to face Charlie.
Taking the stairs one at a time, albeit quickly, she greeted her father as naturally as she could, "Hey, dad. Good day at work? Jasper tell you about the truck?"
"Hey, Bells," Charlie studied his daughter for a moment. She must have passed inspection, as a moment later, he continued, "Work wasn't so bad. Jasper was just telling me that Rosalie already has the body work done. She wants to check a few more things under the hood, just to make sure nothing else was impacted in terms of function – which is something I really appreciate."
"Yeah, Rosalie is pretty great," Bella smiled easily.
"You making even more friends?" Charlie asked with clear excitement to his daughter adjusting so well.
"Definitely," Jasper answered. "I know Rose wants to spend some time with you, at some point, actually."
"That would be great!" Bella exclaimed, immediately thrilled with the idea.
Charlie looked thoughtfully at the girl for a moment before suggesting, "Well, Bells, I know it's short notice and that you're busy Saturday, but maybe Friday night, you can have the girls for a sleep over? I wouldn't mind if you wanted to."
Bella was momentarily rendered silent that her father would think of something like that. "Honestly, that would be great, dad, thanks! I'll talk to everyone tomorrow. If the girls need their parents to call, should I give them your cell or your number at the station?"
"Definitely my cell phone, I'll be on patrol tomorrow."
"Sounds good. Anyways, I'm going to walk Jasper out and will fix us up some dinner shortly. You good with leftovers?"
"No rush, honey, and you know I am" Charlie chuckled as he removed his gun and badge. The action didn't seem to hide a sign of threat, but one of feeling comfortable, even with Jasper in the house. "I'm going to put my feet up for a bit and wind down."
Bella gently ushered Jasper to the door, careful not to touch him, knowing full well her body would betray her. "I'll see you later," she murmured, quietly enough that only his vampire hearing would have been able to pick it up.
Jasper paused, one hand on the doorknob to look back at her. "I don't want to be too forward or assume -" he trailed off, unsure how to start his next sentence.
Bella risked her reaction and reached for his hand, immediately engulfed by the waves of happiness building inside of her. "Jasper, I think we are beyond being forward, at this point."
"Fair enough," he agreed as a warm grin spread across his face. "Well, would it be okay if I wait for you outside tonight? I want to take you somewhere you haven't been."
"That sounds awesome!" she whispered excitedly. "So, I'll see you tomorrow morning, then?" she asked in a normal tone for Charlie's benefit.
"Yeah, and I'll mention to Rose tonight about the sleepover, see if she's free."
"Sounds good! See you."
"See you tomorrow, Bella," the blonde vampire left with a parting wink.
/ * \ / * \ / * \
The evening passed quickly, much to Bella's relief. Charlie really had been too tired to question her about her friendship with Jasper, at any rate, and had turned in early. He needs more sleep, Bella thought with a frown. She had never had cause to worry about her father before, but these hours were getting to him.
With a sigh, she flicked off the TV and headed up the stairs herself, ready and waiting for Jasper to make some kind of indication he was outside. Bella didn't have to wait long. Sitting atop her bed, clearing her mind and listening to the sound of Charlie snoring, she heard a light tapping at her window. She bounced up with a grin and opened it slowly.
"Howdy, darlin'," Jasper drawled softly. "I was thought about throwing a small pebble, but with my strength, I might have broken your window, and that didn't seem like such a good idea; what with you living with the chief of police and all."
Bella giggled at his explanation and leaned her elbows against the window ledge, "Good thinking, Major Whitlock."
Jasper ran one hand along her face, stroking her cheek with his thumb, "You ready, Miss Swan?"
Bella's eyelids fluttered closed at his touch as contented ease filled her. "Just about," she whispered back, pressing her face into his palm. "I need to change first," she used one hand to gesture to her clothing as she opened her eyes again.
"I'll wait at the edge of the woods for you," Jasper whispered as he launched himself backwards, off the roof and into the night.
"Show off," she muttered into the growing darkness and went to lock her door. Turning off the lights, Bella removed her clothes and gave her legs one last stretch before taking her sparrow form. Flying smoothly out the window, she spotted Jasper's blonde hair, glowing softly in the somewhat cloudy moonlight. Flapping her wings gently, she landed on the branch above him.
Feeling mischievous, she jumped down, shifting into a mountain lion as she went, tackling the surprised vampire to the ground. With a throaty chuckle, she dashed off into the woods, Jasper hot on her tail. He caught up to her quickly, however, and with a laugh of his own, leaped in front of her, causing the shifter to stop mid-stride to avoid crashing into him. Dirt and leaves flew up around Bella's paws as she skidded to a halt.
"I got to thinking that maybe, if we want to reach the spot I had in mind, we should get going now. It's about 40 miles-" he trailed off, studying her face for a reaction. "Perhaps we can run for a while and if you get tired, you can become something easier to carry and I can run us the rest of the way?"
Bella nodded enthusiastically at his plan and extended one paw to indicate he should lead the way.
Beaming, the vampire flitted through the woods to the north east. The pair dashed almost soundlessly through the trees; save for the soft rustle of wet leaves fluttering back to the ground in their wake. Bella estimated they had run for a good 15 miles before she started feeling her limit nearing. She let out a soft whine and slowed, not wanting to stop entirely, lest she cramp up.
Walking another mile or two, she finally stopped, then considered what she should shift into to make carrying easier. "Want me to carry you the rest of the way, darlin'?" Jasper asked with a gentlemanly drawl.
Bella nuzzled his hand in response, and, having made up her mind, shifted into a fluffy gray fox. Jasper stretched out his arms, allowing her to climb up into them. Bella curled herself securely in his arms and sighed deeply as she tucked her face into the crook of his arm. The scent and aura of Jasper overtook her senses and for some time, she wasn't even aware they had been moving. When she finally turned her face forward, Jasper whispered, "A few more minutes, and we'll be there."
Excited, she kept her focus on the trees ahead of them for some kind of indication where they were headed. Nearing what seemed to be the edge of the forest, Jasper slowed. As he crossed the line of woods to pebbled beach, he set her gently down. "Welcome to Lake Crescent, Miss Swan."
The sight before her was beautiful and left her no doubt as to why he considered it one of his favorite places. The water was as smooth as silk, mirroring the night sky and trees almost perfectly. As she approached the lake, Bella could see the hundreds of smooth pebbles and rocks that lined the bottom through the nearly translucent waters. Mouth gaping, she turned quickly to nudge Jasper in thanks.
Laughing at her enthusiasm, he removed his shirt and jeans and set them on the shore before walking out into the water, obviously preparing for a swim. "Can you become something that lives in water?"
Yipping excitedly, Bella took care to swim into deep enough water before making her shift. Knowing her 9 year old self would have absolutely died to know she would someday be able to become a dolphin, Bella dove deep before swimming quickly up and breaking the surface in a jump. Jasper's wide eyes never left her, and moments later, she swam towards him, nuzzling his side like before.
"I've never seen a dolphin this close before," he breathed softly. "May I touch you, Bella?"
The dolphin laughed and nudged into him once more. Jasper reached out and gently stroked her face, causing the shifter to zone out in contented bliss. Sliding his hand closer to her side, Bella learned that dolphins could be ticklish and let out a laugh, darting away, to Jasper's dismay. Swimming closer once more, she pressed her face against his hand, hoping to convey she wasn't upset.
Comprehension dawned on Jasper, "Ah, you're ticklish?" She nodded her head up and down in confirmation, before swimming fast circles around him. "And now you want to play?" He asked in an amused tone.
Bella squealed once before darting through the water and breaking the surface in a succession of jumps. She was pleased to find that when it came to swimming, dolphins definitely did better than vampires. It wasn't that Jasper was slow or uncoordinated, just not as graceful as herself. Finally, an area I excel at.
A half hour or so had passed before she started growing tired. The strain of maintaining a steady body temperature in the cold waters, in addition to all the leaping and diving was taking a toll on the shifter. Bella swam to the edge of the shallows, Jasper walking alongside her, and rose to the surface. With one final dolphin laugh, Bella became a mountain lion once more.
Loping slowly along the shore, Bella found a grouping of large rocks and laid on the uppermost one, enjoying the view of the lake below her. Jasper got dressed and sat cross legged next to her, allowing the two to enjoy a companionable silence. Finding the space between them to be too large, Bella wriggled her body until she was pressed against his side and tucked under his arm. "I take it you like it here," Jasper asked with a grin.
Bella snorted in reply. The location, among other things. Jasper seemed to sense her answer and stroked her face gently, "It's one of my favorite spots; the others have never come out here. I really wanted to share it with you, though." Bella purred in response, feeling grateful to have been let in on something special to Jasper.
"Anyways, it's getting late, and I imagine you're pretty tired?"
Bella nodded sadly, a whine escaping her involuntarily.
"It's alright, you don't need to feel bad, darlin'," Jasper answered kindly. "We have tomorrow night, too. As many nights as you can and want."
The shifter stood and stretched, rubbing her face along his and became a fox once more so Jasper could take her home.
/ * \ / * \ / * \
Bella woke to the sound of her alarm and fumbled stiffly in the dark to turn it off. Groaning, she flexed her arms, aching in places she didn't know existed. Last night was rough, not to mention one more night and I'm done for a few weeks. Ebbing power, strength, and senses, the girl realized.
Sitting slowly, she let her body acclimate to being awake before making her way to her dresser. Picking out some clothes she hoped matched, Bella went to the bathroom to relieve herself and shower for the day. The water soothed her muscles slightly, but aside from making her clean, it did little to make her feel better. Realizing she needed food, Bella slowly ambled down the stairs, just as the doorbell rang.
Opening the door to reveal Jasper, Bella beamed and stepped aside for him. "Why hello there, Major Whitlock," she greeted him easily. "If you'll follow me this way, I'm about to make myself some breakfast."
"I would love to accompany you to the kitchen, Miss Swan," he answered with a grin of his own as Bella closed the door. "Right after I kiss you good morning, that is."
Bella blushed to the roots of her hair as Jasper leaned in, kissing her softly on the lips. Instantly, she wanted to deepen the kiss, to step closer, to let the energy flowing between their bodies to dance inside her veins. Instead, she stepped away to catch her breath, and walked shakily to the kitchen.
Reached into the fridge, she grabbed two eggs just as Jasper found a frying pan and held one hand out for the eggs. Raising a brow, Bella passed them to him and opened the bread drawer to get her toast ready. "I didn't know you could cook," she added as the sound of eggs cracking, followed by sizzling filled her ears.
"I vaguely remember that I knew some cooking basics back when I was a human," Jasper explained. "I've since learned a few tricks, though I've never really had a reason to cook. It's amazing, the things you'll read when you've exhausted all of your own books."
"Who in your house owns cookbooks?" Bella asked with a small laugh.
"The cookbooks belong to Esme. She and Carlisle have spent a lot of time cultivating their human facade, including learning how to cook so that they can bring food to company picnics or luncheons," Jasper explained with a grin as he searched the canister of utensils on the counter for a spatula. He let the eggs cook a few more moments before flipping and continuing. "She makes amazing lasagna, apparently."
"So, that whole thing with garlic is bogus, then?" Bella asked as she filled a glass with some orange juice.
Jasper laughed heartily at her question, "Absolutely. Garlic, crucifixes, and holy water were things that helped humans of the 1500's feel a little less afraid. No one likes to feel helpless."
"Fair enough," Bella allowed, taking a sip of her juice. "So are you impervious or what?"
Jasper finished cooking her eggs and buttered her toast before plating it all and finding her a fork. "Essentially, yes. There isn't much, aside from other vampires, that could cause us to fear for our safety." He set her plate on the table and sat across from her, lapsing into silence to give her time to eat.
Bella set her glass down at the table and started in on her breakfast with gusto. "This is so good! I woke up super hungry after last night. The tail end of my shift week tends to be a little more draining than the beginning. Less cosmic energy or something," she explained before scooping up some egg on her toast.
"That's fascinating, actually. Do you know much about shifter lore or just what you've learned from your mom?"
Bella swallowed another sip of juice before answering, "Only what I've learned from my mom. From what I understand, it's nothing like werewolf lore or anything, like I said the other night. I think it must be genetic or something, but she never really got a chance to tell me more than the fact that ever since my great-great-grandma, we've been shifters."
"That must be frustrating for you" Jasper answered softly.
"It is what it is. I either find more information or I don't, but I've come to a place mentally and emotionally where I understand that I can only deal with what comes, you know?"
"Once again, that's very wise, Miss Swan," he remarked with a kind smile. "You constantly amaze me."
Bella grinned into her orange juice glass, happy to be the source of amazement for such a divine creature. "You're pretty good at amazing me, yourself, Major Whitlock."
Jasper cleared Bella's plate as she finished her drink and checked the fridge for her bagged lunch. "This all you need?"
"I think so. I packed it, and my backpack last night. I think I'm just about ready."
"Great! We'll be a little early and can visit with Emmett and Rose if you'd like."
"That sounds good. I'll quick go brush my teeth, then we can go."
/ * \ / * \ / * \
As promised, Emmett and Rosalie were seated in the common area outside the school, clearly waiting for the two of them to arrive. Grinning, Bella jumped out of Jasper's truck and the two walked side by side towards the other couple. Emmett looked about ready to burst out of his seat when Bella was finally within hearing range, "It's been too long, Hellcat!"
Mortified, Bella groaned as the sound of Emmett's booming voice was picked up on by enough of her classmates to ensure the incident would be relayed to everyone by lunch. "Missed you too, Butthead. Tonight is my last night until next month, though, so you'll have to be patient for the next play-time."
"That's fine – but in the meantime, have you ever heard of a little game called Call of Duty," the excitable vampire asked with a conspiratorial grin. "I've never played against a human-ish person."
"Human-ish, huh? You're on, big guy."
Rosalie rolled her eyes at the two of them, "Not so fast, Bella. You and I have plans to talk about first. Jasper mentioned you are having a sleep over tomorrow?"
Bella grinned, "Yeah, my dad said it would be okay if you, Angela, and Jessica came over. Would you be interested?"
Jasper and Emmett started a friendly argument about video games that quickly became mild rough housing a few feet away, much to Bella and Rosalie's amusement.
"Boys," Rosalie commented with a roll of her eyes. "It actually sounds fun. I've never really done it before, at least that I can remember. But I've seen lots of movies!" Rosalie exclaimed, excitement dancing in her eyes. "Talking about boys, painting nails, trying face masks, staying up too late and eating junk food – well, pretending to stay up too late and eat junk food. I'm so in."
"Good! I'll let the other girls know at lunch and hopefully I'll know by tomorrow afternoon if they can make it."
Jasper and Emmett ceased their scuffle and the two were watching the exchange with smiles on their faces. "Well, I better escort Bella to class," Jasper interjected. "The bell is going to ring in about five minutes."
"I'll talk to you later, Rosalie! If you guys want, you can sit with us at lunch, but I understand if you don't want to leave Alice on her own if she doesn't want to," Bella offered with a wave as she and Jasper headed through the doors.
When the pair made it to her locker, Bella finally asked, "So, what was with all the smiles between you and Emmett?"
"You caught that?"
Bella rolled her eyes, "Of course I did. I might be human, but I have eyes," she chided with a grin.
"Well, Emmett really likes you and is glad that you're becoming an actual friend for Rose. She doesn't have many, even when it comes to our own kind."
"Why is that?"
"Well," Jasper trailed off and thought for a moment. "She can be very standoffish. It's a long story, but her human life didn't make her very receptive to others. Rosalie doesn't trust often and once that trust is broken, it is unlikely to be repaired."
Bella's brows furrowed as she stored that information for later. "Well, I will do my best not to do something that would cause her to lose trust in me, however tentative it may be."
"I know you won't, darlin'," Jasper smiled and placed a kiss on her cheek. "She already likes you, I can tell. She's happy that you make me happy," he offered as the pair stopped at her homeroom.
"I'm glad I make you happy," Bella giggled as she gave him a parting squeeze of her hand. "I'll see you at lunch, Cowboy."
/ * \ / * \ / * \
A/N: I AM SO SORRY IT HAS TAKEN FOREVER TO UPDATE. I KNOW, I'M A HORRIBLE, AWFUL GIRL.
As I mentioned in the last A/N, my freelance cosmetic retouching can be hit or miss with clients, but one of them made through the past few rounds of cuts for the Nyx Face Awards, and as the challenges increase, my workload is increasing! Between my day-job giving me more hours, more editing, and the omnipresent need for sleep, my time for writing has decreased.
I do, however, PROMISE, I have no intentions of abandoning this story! It always tickles me to read your reviews and every like and follow encourages and reminds me to take the time to write! Thank you so much for supporting my work, friends!