"Well, you were right."

My emotions swirled in complete disarray as I gazed out the window. Jacob had been gone for a while now, yet silence still cloaked my room. It had been one long day, but it ended far better than I had imagined. Turning around, I saw Jasper as still as a statue, his eyes focused on my book. The moonlight through the window reflected off his hair, making the gold appear silver as he sat in my rocking chair.

Pursing my lips, I slowly walked over to my bed, sitting down. My eyelids were beginning to droop, but I had no desire to sleep. I would take speaking to Jasper over facing my dreams any day—so I would take full advantage of the fact that he was still here.

"So... what is the plan now that we know Jacob is involved?" I asked, uncomfortably shifting where I sat. I was unsure what exactly to think about Jacob now. In all reality, I was extremely nervous to speak with him tomorrow. Just because he said I could didn't mean that things would go back to how they used to be. How could they?

Jasper's eyes flickered up, my book falling shut on his lap. He slowly allowed the chair to rock, the wood quietly creaking. "I'd like to speak to whoever Sam is. Your friend said that Victoria kept poking around the borders of their land—that will make things quite difficult for us if we are pursuing her. She would have the advantage by jumping between borders, even if the wolves are on the other side.

If I could convince him to allow Peter, Charlotte and me to come onto their land, only in this case, then she would lose all advantage whatsoever. It would be too easy."

I bit my lip, unsure how exactly that would go. "I don't know, Jasper. Don't you think things wouldn't go very well?" I whispered, my eyebrows furrowing. "I mean, they aren't really fans of vampires. Working with them seems kind of... odd," I chuckled.

"You never know. We'll be willing to do it if they are," he shrugged. "It's not like the treaty would be officially be broken. It would be a deal only for the time being. We wouldn't be going on their land without reason, and once she's gone, we wouldn't go on it again."

"It's a thing called pride," I snickered, flashing a small smile. "It's a good idea, though. I'll talk to Jacob about bringing Sam over sometime for you to meet and discuss this with."

"Until then, we can go on with things like normal. Peter and Charlotte could track her if they catch their scent while hunting, just like the wolves."

Shutting my eyes, it felt fantastic to know that things were a lot more simple than I had originally thought. Instead of worrying about Victoria, I could just enjoy Jasper's company.

"I feel kind of bad," I murmured, growing tired as I laid back, pulling the covers over me.

"What for?"

"Well... Victoria is doing this because the person she loved was taken from her. Yes, it was his fault, and there was nothing I could do about it. But I wouldn't be very happy in her place, either," I explained.

Jasper hummed beneath his breath. "You are sometimes too nice for your own good," he sighed, although his smile was light. "In all reality, though, I could feel her love for him. But do you want to know the truth?" he asked, leaning forward. "The feelings were not reciprocated, Bella. From what I saw, Victoria was simple entertainment to him. He had no emotional ties to her. Why else would he be causing chaos instead of ensuring his and his mate's safety? She was blind to this. So, when you think about it, we did her a favor." His eyes were solemn, not an ounce of pity as his hands clasped together.

"That makes me feel even worse," I deadpanned, shaking my head. "She's throwing everything away for someone who didn't even care."

Sound familiar?

My heart dropped as my mind had to pick that moment to throw a valid point. I was willing to give my life up for him. Unlike Victoria, however, I learned the truth.

Jasper's eyes softened. "She has the chance to start anew. It all falls down to whether or not she is willing to start fresh, or live in the past."

My tired eyes were locked on his, and I wondered whether or not he was now speaking about Victoria, or me. Sucking in a deep breath, I shook my head as my eyes shut. "I just wish they would stay out of my dreams," I murmured, knowing that he would understand. How easy was it to start fresh when past memories visited you each night?

"I meant to tell you... I could help you with your dreams, if you'd like," Jasper offered, his voice hesitant.

My eyes snapped open, immediately locking on his gold. "You can?" I breathed, excitement flushing throughout me. I have only had a handful of peaceful nights within the past half year. What he offered was technically a gift.

He nodded, his head twisting to look out the window. "Instead of circling the area like usual, I could just stick to the outside of your house for the night. Close enough that I could keep your emotions in check as well."

My smile nearly cracked my cheeks. "I would love that. But Jasper... you don't have to stay outside, you know. I wouldn't... I wouldn't mind if you stayed here," I shrugged, color staining my cheeks. It wouldn't be the first time someone has stayed in my room while I slept.

His eyes flickered back to me, but it was hard to pinpoint what exactly he was thinking. He looked like he was made from stone as he sat on the rocking chair, no longer allowing it to sway. It was then that I realized what truly might be the problem, my mouth forming a tiny 'o'.

"My scent?" My voice was slightly disappointed, yet full of understanding at the same time.

Of course, he would be more comfortable outside in the fresh air, not having to deal with the burn within his throat all night.

"I need to learn to get used to it anyway," he shook his head. "In fact, staying in your company that long would actually be helpful. I'm just confused as to why you'd be alright with it," he chuckled, raising his eyebrows. "I always thought it odd that Edward found it okay to sneak into a woman's bedroom at night to watch her sleep. How you didn't find that... disturbing, I will never know."

I couldn't help the laughs that tumbled from my throat, having to slap my hand over my mouth to prevent waking Charlie. "You're right, that was weird to find out. But I think your case is pretty different," I smiled, re-shutting my eyes. "You'd be standing outside, anyway. Plus it will help you work on your control. You said you wanted to help me work on my emotions—well I can help you with this in return."

Jasper was silent for a moment, before finally replying. "If you're alright with it, then I suppose I will stay."

I couldn't help my smile. "This might be even more helpful than before," I murmured, my words immediately followed by a yawn.

"How so?"

Barely cracking my eyes open, I saw Jasper's expression twisted in a confused manner.

"Before there was always someone who could read minds and get your attention if your thoughts turned the wrong direction. There was someone who could see the future and would know if you would lose control, turning your path on a different course before it even got there. There was someone who was strong enough to hold you back if you lunged.

You were used to being monitored every minute, not focusing strictly on your control. You knew in the back of your mind that there were plenty of other people already doing so." My eyes grew warm as I tiredly shrugged. "Now without that, I think it will get you farther. Make you stronger," I smiled.

I barely caught the sight of Jasper's shocked eyes before mine shut again. I was barely half awake, no longer even bothering to try and remain conscious.

"And you're willing to test that?" So many different emotions were smashed together with his tone, to the point where I couldn't pick them apart. I did, however, feel what seemed to be gratitude trickle throughout me.

"I trust you."

I didn't hear another word as I sank into a deep, dreamless, sleep.

It took me only seconds to realize a few things when I awoke in the morning.

First, I slept without a single nightmare. Second, at this moment, I felt more alive than I have in months. The deep sleep resulted in me being wide awake and feeling as though I were truly ready to take on the day. And third, Jasper was still here.

Right as that last thought entered my mind, I sprang up from my bed, not caring that my hair looked like a haystack on top of my head. My eyes were wide as I stared at Jasper, who was still sitting on the rocking chair in the corner. My book was nearly halfway done as he read, his eyes flipping across the words faster than I could comprehend.

A rush of warmth filled me, my smile wide as I stared at him. He stayed. He got rid of my nightmares, just like he promised.

That was when his gold eyes popped up, meeting mine. "Mornin'," he nodded, smiling lightly as he shut the book. I presumed he already had the page memorized.

"Good morning," I replied, stretching out my arms.

I felt like a brand new person this morning. I didn't have to get over my nightmares. I didn't have the familiar burn in my throat. I didn't have to focus on shoving my memories away. And there certainly was no throbbing hole in my chest, or even any numbness to block it.

All of the radiant happiness flickered away when I noticed the red digits on my clock. Paling, I shot up from my bed, unsure what exactly to do. I've already missed three hours of school!

Jasper sheepishly leaned back in the rocking chair, shooting me an apologetic grin. "I'm sorry I didn't wake you, darlin'. Didn't want to interrupt your sleep," he shrugged, although I could tell there was something else he wasn't including.

"Why didn't Charlie wake me up?"

I could tell that if blood still ran through his veins, it would now be in his cheeks. "I might've made him a bit eager for work," he chuckled.

My eyes narrowed. "What aren't you telling me?"

"Are you that disappointed in missing school?" One eyebrow arched as he cockily grinned.

"Not really. Because of Peter, I'm not eager about going back, anyway. Plus it's the perfect excuse to get out of work today so I can go see Jake."

"What did Peter do?"

"You're trying to distract me," I huffed, crossing my arms.

Jasper rolled his eyes. "I listened to you scream in your sleep for two nights. Not only did you deserve to sleep well until you woke up on your own, but it was nice to hear you speak instead."

His eyes twinkled while my head dropped. All the embarrassment that began to eat away at me was replaced by calm.

"Bella, it's not that bad. I just see why he liked to stay here, now. I'd be lyin' if I said it wasn't entertainin'. More so than this book," he grumbled, setting it on the bedside table.

"What did I say?" I glared at him, wishing I would have thought of this before inviting him to stay. I already went through this one time. "Let me guess, your name?"

I could tell by his smile that I was right. At least this wasn't as embarrassing as the time I said 'I love you' in my sleep.

"What's wrong with Wuthering Heights?" I asked, wanting to get off this subject.

His mouth twisted into a scowl. "Catherine irritates me," he shrugged. "Hell, they all irritate me, but I can't stand her," he spat, while I broke into a fit of laughter.

Listening to Major Jasper Whitlock complaining about a classical book character was a fabulous way to start the day.

"Why?"

"I'm at the part where she wants to marry that Edgar guy because he's high up on the social status. She loves Heathcliff but doesn't want him because he's not. That's bullshit."

"She wants Edgar to raise Heathcliff higher up, though," I reasoned, although I agreed with him. My smile was beginning to hurt while I watched his eyes prick.

"If she really loved him, that wouldn't matter. And if I were him, I wouldn't give her the time of day after that. Why are you making me read this anyway?" he snapped, throwing the beaten book a dirty glare.

"Because I'm going to be reading a book on the Civil War. If you dislike Wuthering Heights, then I bet I won't be a fan of your book, either," I chuckled.

Pausing for a moment, looking him over I saw that he seemed perfectly at ease. He was relaxed, his eyes still a bright gold after he stayed the entire night.

"Was it hard... staying here last night?" I asked, pursing my lips.

His expression smoothened. "Not really. I had already been around you for a while—the more time that passed, the more I got used to things." His smile was light, accomplished. "To tell you the truth, I haven't thought much of it until you just brought it up."

The relief was astounding. Maybe this was just what Jasper needed to maintain his control. Still, I remembered what he once said to me. That it was easy when remaining in someone's presence for long. But right when they leave, you have to start from the beginning. Jasper would have to start again tonight once I got back from Jacob's.

"What is it?"

Looking up, I met his eyes while I realized I have been awkwardly standing in the middle of my room this entire conversation. Shifting my weight, I decided it didn't matter.

"Will it be harder tonight once I get back from Jacob's?"

His eyes pricked. "It won't be as easy, no. But that is why we are doing this, remember?" His halfhearted smile showed that he wasn't looking forward to it, either.

Nodding glumly, I walked to my closet, taking out some clothes for today. Turning, I saw Jasper now standing at my desk, looking at some old pictures from when I was younger.

"Um... I'm going to go get ready for the day. Are you going to stay?" I asked, a hopeful edge to my voice.

The corner of his lips jerked up as he kept his gaze on the old photos, nodding his head. "If you'd like," he replied as if he didn't already know what that answer would be.

I was out of the room right as I muttered yes, not wanting to see his smirk. Slipping into the bathroom, I was startled once I caught my reflection in the mirror. I was expecting to see the dark shadows beneath my eyes, along with my usually dull eyes. Instead, I met with the complete opposite. There were no shadows, my skin just as pale there as it was on the rest of my face. And my eyes... they looked like they belonged to someone else. Brighter. Alive.

Was Jasper even aware how much he has done in the past few days?

I went through my morning routine in a rush, not caring about my hair that damply laid against my shoulders and back. After I called in sick for work, I padded down the stairs to see Jasper sitting at the kitchen table. He was looking over one of my cereal boxes, more than likely reading over the ingredients.

Smiling lightly, I took it from his grip, pouring some of the cereal into a bowl. "Are you that interested in this stuff?" I mused, sitting down across from him.

He chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "It is just strange. I don't have many human memories, but there was nothing like that, I'm sure."

Slowly chewing a bite, I shrugged my shoulders. "You missed out on a lot of stuff. To think that you never got to experience soda, pizza... not even a Hershey's chocolate bar," I shook my head. That was horrific.

"If it tastes remotely like whatever you are currently eating, I doubt I would have minded missing it."

"No. The few things I listed are pure heaven," I laughed. "What do you remember?"

His gaze dropped to the table, his fingers purposelessly tracing the edge. "The one thing I remember involving food, was my Ma in the kitchen," he smiled, his eyes soft. "It's just one little moment—that's how human memories typically go. Random little moments that you cling to. I faintly remember her preparing something—I think it was vegetable stew. That's what we had most of the time," he snickered, meeting my gaze.

"My Gran used to make that a lot, especially during the winter," I smiled, allowing myself to think back to some of those old times as well. It seemed like so long ago.

The day progressed the same after I finished my breakfast, old stories being traded. Mine being from when I was much younger, while his were the scarce human memories that he still had. He described it as if trying to look through a foggy day—you could see it faintly, but it wasn't clear. Like a dream, almost.

He told me about his younger sister, whom he sadly couldn't remember's name. He said he recalled his mother scolding him for stealing his sister's little cloth doll, hiding it within their old house for her to find when they were younger. The only other thing he could remember about his sister was her blond hair that was almost always in pigtails.

He told me about their dog, a little mutt that had wandered up one day. They would feed him scraps, and he would always be waiting on their porch for more.

He told me about his father, the one thing clear that he remembered being his pride when Jasper joined the army.

The description of his home was vague, as much as he could possibly recall. He spoke more about the land that they lived on—the grass stretching endlessly, a few horses wandering about. The cows that had to be milked each morning and the chickens whose eggs were repeatedly collected.

I learned about him quickly rising through the ranks in the army, surpassing those who were over twice his age. His smile pulled wide as he spoke of those two years he had within the army, his stories coming to an end when he got to the part about leading refugees out of Galveston.

I had wondered if that was when Jasper had become a vampire. I was so tempted to ask him, but he had promised to tell me that story, it being his own to share. I wouldn't press when our day had been going so well, happy memories being what we spoke of.

I told him what I could remember about my earlier years—never having complete memories with both of my parents for a long period of time. I spoke of Renee leaving with me when I was only a few months old, craving to live somewhere brighter. Charlie was unable to leave due to having to take care of his parents at the time. Of course now, a silent part of me, found that to be simply cruel for her to abandon him—especially considering that he lost his parents only four years later.

I told him about eccentric Renee, her carefree nature and long list of hobbies. I spoke of how adventurous she was, always eager for something new. I even described Phil—how he was perfect for my mother due to the constant change his traveling brought.

When I talked about Charlie, he mentioned how alike the two of us seemed, which I agreed. I mimicked Charlie's quiet, less outgoing nature than I did my mother's.

Stories from my childhood flowed through my mouth—about being forced into ballet classes, which was why I now hated dancing. Stories about staying with Charlie in the summer and the small memories I still possessed of my grandparents when I would visit.

I described the dry atmosphere of Phoenix, the dusty land and clear sky. How irritated I had been when I moved to Forks—only now I could never imagine going back.

I felt at ease as we traded our stories at the kitchen table, for the first time not hating to talk about myself. Talking with Jasper made each of our memories flow with ease, almost as if it was already planned word by word. It was unlike when he wanted to know about my life, tossing unrelated questions without a second to spare—dissecting me like a frog as I tried to keep up. I didn't have the ease of him returning the favor at the time.

I suppose that is why I told Jasper stories that he never heard. I voiced that fact aloud, and Jasper's response shocked me.

"Alice hasn't heard any of my human memories," he scoffed, while my mouth hung open.

"Why did you never tell her?"

"She doesn't have a single human memory. Why would I share mine?"

"Because she'd want to know?" I threw out exasperatedly.

"She never asked."

His expression was bemused as a flash of anger zipped through me, my eyes narrowing. It shouldn't have mattered that she didn't have any of her own. Shouldn't she have cared enough to find out?

"I thought you said that you weren't interesting," Jasper interrupted my thoughts, skipping away from that previous subject altogether.

I was unaware how much time has passed, although I could tell by looking out the window that it was much later. We were still sitting at the kitchen table, it oddly comfortable.

"Jasper, I told you about my parents, where I lived, horrible dance lessons and about breaking my arm when I was seven. What is interesting about that?" I laughed.

"The fact that you can remember breaking your arm when you were seven. I can't remember my own sister's name or what my parents even looked like. That's pretty interesting to me," he smiled halfheartedly, while my eyes softened.

"You know... you're right."

"I usually am," he smirked, causing me to laugh.

I had never thought a day spent just talking with Jasper would be so precious. But something else I knew that was right, was the fact that I wanted to do it again.

I would be content if every day was spent just like this.

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