A/N: Are you still with me? Apologies for the slow update - I could use real life, holidays, technological breakdowns and so on as an excuse but I won't bore you with the details. Never/Team - couldn't do it without you guys.

This chapter's for rustyspanx - you can thank her later.

Disclaimer: same old. She still owns all that. I own what's not that.

Chapter 10

We sat on that rock for what seemed like hours. I sat between Jasper's legs, my back against his chest as he held me. He told me some more about his life – both before he was changed and afterwards. I could tell it was difficult for him to talk about it, but I was grateful he didn't seem to be holding anything back. At this moment I needed honesty from him. Not only had he fought in the Civil War, he had spent a long time as second-in-command in a brutal vampiric war in the South. It was during this time that he met Charlotte who had apparently been mated to his deputy, Peter.

"What happened to Peter? How did Charlotte end up with Edward?"

"Peter and Charlotte lived their lives on the run from Maria who was constantly trying to persuade them to join her again. They knew she wanted to gain control over most of the vampire population in the Americas and then to challenge the Volturi."

"The Volturi?"

"The closest thing to vampire royalty you'll ever see. Almost as sadistic and vicious as Maria. They have ruled for centuries, and like to 'collect' gifted vampires for their personal guard. They too had been chasing Peter for years. He realised that in order to get rid of Maria, he would have to work with the Volturi. Char refused to have anything to do with them, having been in servitude to Maria for so long and barely getting out alive, she knew once the Volturi got their hands on Peter they would never let him leave. Peter went to Europe, promising he'd come back to her and she was waiting for him. Edward was just a distraction."

"Why did you stop Edward going after the Quileutes?" As soon as I said the word, my chest began to ache. Jasper held me closer, and the pain subsided.

"Edward and Charlotte weren't mated. He knew that as well as Char did. He wasn't going after them on some holy crusade to avenge her death. He has always strived to maintain the humanity that Carlisle has, but it's been much more difficult for him. Over the last few decades the conflict between his humanity and his 'inner monster'- as he calls it - has become more intense. He tried dating human women figuring he could 'cure' himself of his bloodlust by being around them more, like Carlisle. But it barely even took the edge off. And he couldn't bring himself to satisfy his other ... urges... with them for fear of hurting them.

"Most of my family have given in to our true nature to varying degrees – some of us more than others. Personally, I've found that, having made peace with who and what I am, it's easier to control. I don't beat myself up for giving in to my natural instincts either – it's completely unrealistic to think I'll live for hundreds of years and never taste human blood again. It's been at the forefront of my mind for at least the last week or so..." he paused, smirking at me.

"So, back to Edward. Char had given him an outlet – not for the thirst obviously but they both needed what the other could give – sex mostly I think. Their relationship distracted him from his self-loathing and her from her loneliness. So when she was killed, Carlisle was worried Edward was going to turn his back on our lifestyle completely.

"In truth, he's just been looking for something. Some alternative. Something undefinable. Something worth keeping control for. I knew that, but I'm not sure even Edward did. Killing the pack was not that thing. He would have been so tortured with guilt that I think it would have tipped him over the edge. So I persuaded him to come to Italy with me to find Peter and break the news to him. Time and distance tempered his thirst for Quileute blood, but he's still searching for that thing. I don't know exactly what, but I goddamn hope it comes along soon. Not sure how much more of his wallowing and self-loathing I can take."

I tried to see Edward in a different light. A tortured soul. It wasn't easy, though I could understand a little better why he hated me. Not only my relationship with Jacob but I was the very thing he was trying to avoid yet here I was, the forbidden fruit, being paraded in front of him.

I thought of how Jasper freely admitted that he had bitten and either changed or drained, probably hundreds of people during his vampire life. His time with Maria had been feral and vicious. He had apparently been one bad-ass vampire, fighting and killing without a second thought. My eyes fell to the scars scattered across his arms, which were at that moment wrapped around my waist. I lifted a hand, index finger extended but it hovered an inch or two above his skin.

"You can touch them."

Slower than I ever thought I could move, my finger came to rest on cold, solid skin. Kind of like marble, but I had only ever felt polished marble and the raised scars gave a very different texture to that. I ran my finger up and down his forearm, feeling what seemed like hundreds of welts.

"Bite marks. From newborns."

My hand stopped as I inhaled sharply and turned to look at him but before I could say anything he suddenly drew back and turned towards the house.

"Alice, what's going on?" his voice was strained, his eyes darting around the forest surrounding us.

If there was a reply I didn't hear it but a split second later Jasper had moved me down from the rock, pushing me behind him again, and faced the stream, still searching for something. I followed his eyes but could see nothing.

"He's close. Get Isabella."

Out of nowhere Alice and Rosalie appeared, flanking me. Alice put a hand on my right shoulder, Rosalie stood a little further away on my left. Alice pulled me back away from Jasper who was now crouched into what could only be described as an attack position. Edward and Emmett came to a halt just behind him, holding the same position.

"Jas, stop fucking with me. I should want to fucking kill him right now." It was Edward who spoke.

"No! Not now. Alice, you need to stay with Isabella. I can't deal with our visitor and Edward, and keep tabs on her state of mind. Edward, can you hear him?"

"Yes. He wants her." It was obvious by the way he spat out 'her' that he meant me.

"What? Who? Jasper, who wants me?" I was straining to reach Jasper but Alice's hand kept me firmly in place.

"Bella, you need to stay here with me. Jas, should I take her back to the house?"

"No! You will not take me back to the house! Jasper!"

"She stays, Alice. He knows she's here and he has chosen to come here like this. He knows this will expose them but he has made that choice."

"Who, Jasper? What's going on?" the panic was clear in my voice. Jasper didn't acknowledged me though as just at that moment a huge, russet wolf leapt out of the forest, crossing the stream in another single bound and coming to stop in front of Jasper, it's jaws snarling and snapping.

Edward spoke, "He says he wants Bella. That she's not one of us and never will be."

"She's not one of you either." The wolf's head snapped to Emmett, teeth bared, growling.

Edward looked at the beast in disgust, then turned his head towards Jasper and Emmett. "I'll paraphrase. She belongs with him, they need to protect her, we can't keep her here, he'll kill us all to get her, usual, self-righteous tribal drivel. Can't say I disagree with him though. Apart from the bit about killing us all. Though I'd like to see him try."

He turned back to the wolf so I couldn't see his face, but the bitterness in his voice was clear, "And what about Charlotte, mutt? Who protected her? Seems like you're the ones doing all the killing around here."

At that the wolf backed off, lowering his head slightly and closing his eyes. In a human the gesture would have looked almost contrite.

In the silence that followed, my brain just about caught up with what I was witnessing. "Hang on. He can talk to animals. What is he, Dr Fucking Doolittle? And what the hell kind of animal is that anyway?"

Perhaps surprisingly, I wasn't particularly afraid. Whether that was because I was confident in Jasper and the Cullens' ability to protect me or that I didn't perceive any threat directed towards me specifically from the creature, I wasn't entirely sure. Probably both. That said, there was no way in hell I was going anywhere with it, and I prayed to every deity known to man that they wouldn't throw me to the wolf, quite literally.

"Why does it want me, anyway?"

"Go on. Why don't you tell her?" It was Emmett, almost taunting the animal which maintained its position but opened its eyes looking straight at me.

"Just give me one reason, wolf. Hell, I don't even like the girl but you even think about running with her and I promise, this time, I'll hunt down you and your little band of mongrels." Edward's voice was lower, more threatening than Emmett.

"Edward! Is that what he's thinking?" Jasper spoke for the first time. He hadn't moved other than to track the wolf's attention which at that moment focussed entirely on Jasper again.

"He considered it briefly. But he knows he can't get through all of us."

"Is he alone?"

"Yes."

The wolf lurched towards Jasper, roaring, biting. Jasper didn't flinch.

"Emmett's right. She's not one of your people, you made that quite clear. Isabella is here of her own free will." Jasper faced off against the snarling animal which was getting more aggressive as he spoke.

"He doesn't believe you. Doesn't believe that she has had, full disclosure, so to speak."

"Ah, you see, wolf-boy. Isabella is capable of trust, belief and acceptance far beyond what you ever allowed. She knows and she still chooses to be here. With me."

At that, the wolf dropped down, whimpering, shaking as if in pain. I was transfixed by how human-like it appeared in its mannerisms. None of the Cullens moved as the wolf laid its head on the grass and howled. I tried to shake off Alice but she held me firm, so I addressed Edward instead.

"Edward, what's wrong with it. Ask it."

Edward just gave me a withering look. "Ask him your damn self."

At the sound of my voice, the wolf looked at me again. It's dark eyes looked strangely familiar as they pleaded silently with me. Alice loosened her grip as I took a step towards it, but Jasper's voice cut through the silence, striking me immobile, even though he didn't speak to me but to the wolf again.

"Jacob, you want to talk to her, fine. If she wants to talk to you, I'll bring her to the treaty line tomorrow."

I barely heard anything after "Jacob ...". Suddenly it all fit together, the old legends of Quileutes wolf ancestors, the Cold Ones, vampire-hunters. And the dark eyes of the wolf. Eyes I had looked into before. If vampires existed, it wasn't inconceivable that werewolves did too.

I couldn't look any more. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't stand. Someone far away shouted "And bring Leah!" Someone else shouted "Jas! Bella needs you." Cold. Wind. Speed.

~~~ / ~~~

I came round in a bedroom. Seeing the seven people all watching me, I immediately wished I was out cold again.

"Everybody out. She should be fine now. Bella, you fainted, due to the recent stress you've been under. You'll be fine but you need to rest." Carlisle's voice was soothing, reassuring. I tried to sit up but was firmly pushed back down. "Just stay where you are for a while. Jasper will take care of you and if you need me, just call." I didn't hear any footsteps but did hear the click of a door. Turning my head to look for Jasper, I saw him sitting at the side of the bed, my hand clasped in both his, his forehead dropped onto his hands.

"Jasper. I need to know. Was that, out there, was it really Jake?"

"Yes. You shouldn't have had to find out like this. Carlisle was quite clear it wasn't our place to tell you. I respect Carlisle but I'd happily overrule him if I thought it was in your best interests, but how the hell could I tell you? Your ex-fiance is a shapeshifting wolf who somehow managed to hide it from you for seven years. Hell, I couldn't keep what I was from you for seven days! I didn't want to keep it from you."

"What Edward said out there. Was Jake there when Charlotte was killed?"

"Yes. He was the one who took her down and as far as we can tell, did the most damage."

"Oh, shit, Jasper." How could he bear to even be near me. Every time he looked at me, he must be reminded of Jake and what he did. I couldn't even begin to fathom how Jake hadn't told me this. He didn't trust me with tribe secrets, thought I couldn't handle it, was afraid I'd tell people. Had I meant so little to him? Clearly I had since he hadn't given me so much as a fleeting thought before setting up happy families with her. Did she know? Did he trust her? And God, how stupid must I be to not have realised I was living with a fucking werewolf.

"Isabella. Isabella, look at me."

Jasper had shifted to lie beside me on what I assumed to be his bed. For someone who didn't sleep it was huge. All wrought iron and crisp linens. I rolled over to face him and as our eyes locked, he looked at me in a way he hadn't since Jess' party. I could feel him trying to reach into the muddy pool of feelings swimming around inside me. Just like I had at the party, I mentally locked away all the guilt and sadness. I figured he didn't need to sense that on top of the revulsion he must feel about me and my connection with Jake. I had after all lived with – slept with – someone who hunted down him and his kind, killed them, had killed one of his best friends. How could he bear to see past that?

He frowned for a second, "How do you do that? I've never met anyone who can shut me out like that."

"You know I'm doing that? I ... I'm not sure."

"Open up to me. I can help you get through this."

"You want to help me, kiss me."

His eyes widened, and his lips parted. "Kiss you?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Please stop asking me that."

I bit my bottom lip as he swallowed hard, his adam's apple bobbing up and down just once. And then slowly , we closed the space between us. And his hands were in my hair and mine were in his, caressing and pulling as lips came together in a frenzy. I could feel the desire and want pouring out of him into me, and replaced it with everything my body felt. He was holding me against him and his grip tightened. I dropped an arm to his waist and tugged his hips towards mine, sliding my leg over his.

He slowed the pace of our kiss, releasing his grip on me. I clamoured to keep our bodies together, tilting my hips to meet his, grasping his hair tighter.

"Isabella." He breathed my name.

"Jasper, I need this. I need you. Nothing I knew is real anymore. Nothing is what I thought it was. Except this. You and me."

He groaned.

"Don't you dare ask me if I'm sure."

A small smile played on his mouth and he slipped his arms around my waist, flipping me over onto my back. Our lips came together again but this time his hand traced down my neck, over my breast to the bottom button of my shirt. I felt my way down his back, pulling his shirt up, then raking my nails up his back. He resisted when I tried to pull his shirt over his head.

"Please Jasper. I need to feel you."

He sighed and sat up on his knees pulling it off himself. For a moment he just sat looking at me expectantly and it was only when I shifted my gaze to his chest I saw that his torso was littered with the same scars as his arms, albeit more sparsely. It was a stark reminder of how dangerous he was and I probably should have felt as afraid as he clearly expected me to be. I propped myself up on my elbows and leaned over to kiss a solitary crescent, barely touching it with my lips but daring to flick my tongue against it. Jasper hissed and grabbed me roughly, yanking off my now fully unbuttoned shirt and bra.

He clasped his hands round my ass, and in one smooth tug pulled me to the edge of the bed where he got rid of my jeans just as efficiently. Kneeling down on the edge of the bed, he slowly removed my panties, following them with a trail of kisses. He circled his fingers round each of my ankles, hooking my legs over his shoulders. I reached for him, to pull him up to me, but he ignored my attempts, leaving me twining my hands in his hair, heat building just from his breath on my exposed skin.

Leaning into me, he placed one hand flat on my stomach and reached up with the other to tease my nipple. Without warning he flicked his tongue against me, then inside me. Bucking and moaning against the cold heat, I clutched him tighter, willing him into me. He licked the length of me, finding my swollen clit, gently sucking and biting. I lifted one hand to cover his, which was continuing to caress and squeeze my tit, and moved it with his. He swapped so my own hand was covered by his, fingers intertwined and used my hand to tease and stroke my own breast. He moved my other hand from his hair and laid it on the inside of my leg. I gripped my thigh as his tongue continued to explore and tantalise.

This was real ... tangible. I could anchor myself to this.

He took the hand from my stomach, and slid first one finger, then two inside me, even as his tongue continued to stroke my clit. The rhythm of my breathing and heart-rate soared, erratic but his fingers stroked me steadily inside and out. I lifted a foot to rest on his shoulder to give me something to brace against. The next thrust came at a new angle and Jasper curled his fingers. My fingernails dug into the flesh of my thigh.

It wasn't enough. I stilled, wrapped my legs round his shoulders and gently tugged his hair until he looked up at me. Dark eyes, moist lips and tousled hair looked back at me.

"I need you. Inside me."

He stood and paused, readying himself to push inside. Sinking deep inside me in one move, I gave myself up entirely to the sensation of being filled, being physically connected to him. He lifted my knees up and drove deep into me again. I tried to grab onto the bed sheets, the edge of the bed, anything, but my hands clamoured for Jasper. It was him I needed to hold on to.

Wrapping my legs round his waist this time, I tried to pull him to me, kicking his back gently with my feet and holding my arms out to him. He paused briefly before lowering himself to me, giving my body the contact it was desperately yearning for. Joined from the hips to the chest, his skin against mine, plunging into me again and again. Our mouths met in series of tiny licks, kisses and nibbles. I tried to increase the pace, needing harder, faster but he kept it slow and sensual.

The waves of pleasure rolling through my body gradually intensified, our eyes met and I felt a surge of desire and lust spreading through my body. It was more than physical release, it was an emotional surge which seemed to flow right through Jasper and into me - body and mind.

Cocooned in Jasper's arms afterwards, I lay awake reflecting. I thought I had needed raw, hard, no holds barred sex – I had certainly imagined that plenty times over the last week or so. What Jasper gave me was something else. Something more secure and more loving. It was life-affirming. It was him.

So, how'd you feel about a little Ed/Char outtake? Or a Jasper POV drabble? I've been thinking about it. Let me know what you'd like to see from Jasper - the party? The car breakdown scene? The cabin? If I ever get the story finished I might do a couple of short outtakes.