Hey hey! Back again. Sorry about the super long wait. School is….Ug. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to the summer. But yeah….after I'm finished with AP English homework (which is every night, and many many hours of it) I don't feel like doing anything involving thinking. Consequently, this story and my own original stuff, is suffering. L
I'll try to write some more…but for now, here is the next chapter!
Song: Change Me, by Sanctus Real. (Very cool. Reminds me of Eclipse when Bella is trying to convince Edward to change her…in the bed. Lol)
Did I change your
mind with Would you change me from Did my words betray the
What I said last night?
Did I break your heart
by
Straying so far?
From what you have in mind
For my
life?
Who I've been lately?
'Cause
I know I'm nothing
Without you
Patience I once claimed
Can't you see it in my face?
I need
your grace
(Chorus)
Jasper
The large clearing we used for our sporting activities was filled with vampires and werewolves, an invisible line separating the two. Everyone but Esme was on our side, and there were four wolves on the other.
Carlisle finally stepped forward. "I think it would be best if one of you would transform, as it would be easier to communicate, instead of just using Edward's gift." There was a pause, and the biggest wolf, Sam I was sure, turned to Jacob and nodded. Jake ran to the forest and a moment later ran back into the clearing as a human.
"Hey, Jasper," he said smiling.
"Jake," I greeted.
Jacob's eyes landed on Edward, and hostility radiated from him. After a moment he turned to Carlisle. "So what's the plan?"
"Well," began Carlisle. "It's really Jasper's idea." He turned to me, and I stepped up, as he stepped back.
"I think that it's time to take the offense, instead of the defensive." I paused, and I heard Edward snicker. I turned to him and gave him a look.
"One of the wolves -" He paused and looked at Sam. "Okay, Sam, said, and I quote 'since when were you in charge of planning attacks, or when we fight offensive or defensive?'"
I looked at Sam directly. "Well, since about 1863. I was the youngest major on either side of the Civil war, and they seemed to trust my judgment then." Jacob laughed, but I held Sam's gaze.
"He says, 'never mind'," said Edward.
"Good. I'll continue then," I said, feeling anger and just a little bit of embarrassment from Sam. "I think we have to come up with some sort of plan…a plan to bring Victoria out of hiding, so we can strike." I let this sink in for the wolves. "Well, any thoughts?"
It was a few moments later that Edward growled, glaring at Sam. Sam growled back, both of them dipping into a defensive stance.
"What? What did he say?" asked Jacob, and I wondered as well.
"He wants to have Bella be the bait you are speaking of. It would bring Victoria out of hiding," hissed Edward.
My face hardened, and I looked at Sam. "Explain yourself further," I barked (no pun intended) at him.
It was a long moment before Edward began to translate for Sam, his voice sharp as glass. "He says, 'it is the only thing that the red head will actually risk for. It is what she is after. And don't get so touchy, we are sworn to protect humans, and the Swan girl is under our protection. We will make sure that no harm comes to her.'"
I let this sink in. I was conflicted. On one hand, it was the logical thing to do, my major side said. It was what would work, and for the greater good. But then my other half - my love for Bella - said NO! Don't put her in danger. Don't let her anywhere near Victoria.
"It would work," said Carlisle. "We could stage it somewhere in the woods. Have the wolves and some of us waiting nearby, but just far enough so Victoria couldn't smell us."
"But that would mean that Bella would be alone when Victoria found her," I said through clenched teeth. My 'Bella' side was winning out so far, no matter how much logic I could come up with.
"We could have one of us with her," suggested Alice. "To hold off Victoria until the rest of us arrived."
"But it would be fishy, one of us and Bella wandering out in the forest," said Emmett pointedly. I could sense his excitement of preparing for a fight, though.
We paused, thinking about that. It would be. I couldn't be with her, and neither could any of my family…only….
Edward was looking at me, reading my thoughts. "But it wouldn't look at all out of place to Victoria if I was with Bella. In fact, she would probably relish getting the two of us alone, and killing Bella in front of my own eyes. It would be like twisting the dagger deeper." I nodded.
"But…there is still the fact that you two are wandering through the forest randomly," said Jacob after a minute. "She would find that strange."
"Bella and I…" Edward began, and I felt his pain at remembering the good times with Bella. "I took Bella to a meadow last year. It's far away from much civilization, and would be very good for a sneak attack. I could take Bella there, and we can wait."
Everyone looked at me at this point. They were trying to figure out were I stood on this. "I think…I think that is the best plan of attack. Edward is a strong fighter and will be able to hold Victoria off for a while till we come. It makes sense…"
"And when we finally get to the fight," started Jacob. "A few of us can get Bella out of there, so she won't be in anymore danger." I looked at Jacob gratefully.
For the next hour or so we discussed our plan in greater detail, every last bit of it so it would unfold smoothly. After a while, Carlisle suggested that we call it a night, and meet two nights from now to finalize the plan. I was grateful for his suggestion; I was beginning to get anxious, being away from Bella so long, although I knew that Esme and Seth - the werewolf guarding her house - would be sufficient enough for any threat that came her way.
After saying good-bye to Jacob, he ran to the forest with his pack, and my family began to run back home; it went without saying that I was going to Bella's home.
Within a few minutes I was entering her back yard. I slowed down so Seth could see that it was just me; he nodded at me, and I at him. "Someone should be coming soon to take over for you, and fill you in about tonight," I said, and he nodded once more.
Next I climbed up the tree and through Bella's window. Esme was sitting in the rocking chair in the corner, and for a moment I imagined her rocking a small baby to sleep, just as Bella's mother had done for Bella in the same chair; just as Esme might have done if her own child hadn't of died.
"Hello, Jasper," Esme said in a soft whisper. "Is it over already?" she asked.
"Yes," I said. "You can go home; I'll take over from here."
She smiled and rose from the chair. Before she left she kissed me on the cheek, then Bella as well. When it was only Bella and I, I noticed that Bella was becoming a little restless, so I laid down next to her and encased her in my arms. It felt amazing to be here, holding my warm Bella; I tried not to think of the danger she would be in days from now, when we waiting for Victoria to take our bait: Bella.
-------
It was early in the morning when Bella awoke. "Jasper," she said sleepily, yawning in the process.
"Morning, Bella," I greeted.
Bella blinked a few more times before she was completely awake; then she remembered the night before. "How was the meeting?" she asked eagerly.
I sighed. I knew this question had been coming, of course. "It was…fine."
"Did you come up with a plan?"
I flinched at her question. "Yes," I said. "I don't like it very much…but we have a plan. It's the best one we could have."
"Tell me," she said, her chocolate eyes burning.
"We are going to…lure Victoria into a trap," I said carefully. "With…you."
Bella looked at me with a blank gaze for a moment. "Me?" she asked.
"Yes. Not just you, of course," I said. "You and…Edward…will go to the clearing he mentioned and hopefully Victoria will come, because hurting you in front of Edward will be too tempting for her." I took a shaky breath. "I wish I could take Edward's place, but it would be suspicious. She believes that you and Edward are still together."
"Oh." Was all Bella said.
"A few members of my family and the wolves will be waiting at a safe distance so Victoria won't smell us, and when she comes, you will call us - Edward will hold off Victoria until…until we can come help. Some of us will lead you away so nothing can…happen."
Bella nodded, a far away look in her eyes.
"I'm sorry Bella," I said. "For putting you into this danger."
She shook her head. "No…no, I understand that this is the only way. We need to get her….and if this is the only way…I'll do it."
Even as she said these brave words, I felt the fear coming off her.
"But you're still scared," I said.
Bella hesitated for a moment - then realized there was no use in denying this claim to her Emotion-Sensing boyfriend. "Yes."
I hugged Bella close to me, breathing in the sweet scent of her. "It will be okay. I'll protect you. My whole family and Jacob and the other wolves, will protect you."
"I know," Bella said in a small voice. It was quiet for a few minutes, and I just listened to Bella's constant breathing, then - "Jasper?"
"Yes, Bella?"
"I was…wondering…" I could feel a little fear, with some embarrassment mixed in coming from her. "After Victoria is…gone…and I'm done with school - it's only about a month or so away…what's going to happen to…us?"
"What do you mean, Bella?" I asked, oblivious. "We'll be like we are now. Together."
"I know," she repeated. "I know that we'll be together, but…" Bella was silent again for a minute. "I want to know if I'll still be human."
This surprised me. I was honestly shocked. I hadn't really thought about it before…I knew I wanted to be with Bella forever…but Bella's forever and my forever, at the moment, were two very different things.
"I don't…know. I've never thought about it." Bella frowned. "What I mean is…I've never exactly thought of you as a vampire…but I've thought about being with you forever…"
"So that means you want me to be a vampire?" said Bella hopefully.
"Well…yes, I guess," I answered. "Why?"
She frowned. "Edward was…set against me becoming like him. He thought it would take away my soul."
I chuckled and shook my head. "Oh yes. Edward does believe that…" I sighed. "I don't. I wouldn't exactly choose this life for anyone - but I'm too selfish. I want to be with you forever. If I could become human, and we couldn't only live out a mere 60 or 70 years together, I would take that forever…but I can't do that." I frowned. "But I believe we have souls. We're just like humans…we have free will. We can choose to be evil or good. When I was in the south and killing people to live…I knew I wanted something different. I didn't want to be evil. I think it's because of this that we have souls; have the choice to be good."
Bella smiled at me. "That's what I tried to tell him." She laughed. "So…will you change me?"
I gave a dry chuckle. "Bella - I could never change you." I saw her face quickly drop, so I quickly added: "What I mean is - I don't have enough control to do that. If you were changed, I would have to be by Carlisle."
"Oh," she said. "When?" Bella asked.
"Slow down, tiger," I laughed. "Not till after you graduate," I said. "School is important. But Bella…there is a lot of things you have to think about with this decision." She looked at me, confused. "For one…you won't have much…control your first year or so - when you are a newborn."
"Newborn?" she asked.
"Yes. A newborn vampire. You'll be very bloodthirsty. That's all you really think about your first year…but since you'll be on the vegetarian diet, you'll become sane a little quicker, although it is not as satisfying as human blood…"
"Really?" Bella asked in horror. "I won't be thinking of anything else? Just blood? What about us? My family?"
I shook my head. "It's just all about the blood for a while. Of course, Emmett and Rose and the others say that after a month or so of the animal blood, the craze dies down. You can focus on other things." I touched Bella cheek, then her lips. "But I don't think I could ever see you as bloodthirsty…" I said, almost as an after thought.
"So…I'll be bloodthirsty?" Bella said. "Okay. I can handle that…"
"There's more…" I said and Bella gave me a look. "You'll have to do something about Charlie. And your mother. And everyone else. After you've been turned…you can't be around them as a newborn. You'd…attack them. And after you're pass your newborn phase, it will be a year later, more maybe - they will notice the differences that occurred during your transformation, and that you haven't aged."
"What will I have to do?" Bella asked.
I felt horrible. The look in her eyes, and her emotions, were so sad. "Fake your death, maybe - or you could just say you're going off to college and delay visiting your parents, then a few years from now fake your death. That way…that way you could at least talk to your parents for a few more years."
Bella was silent for a long time. "I'm sorry," I found myself whispering. She nodded sadly.
"Me, too."
--------
It was a long time later, after about half an hour of a comfortable silence - in a way Bella was mourning for what she knew was going to happen - she spoke again.
"Jasper?" This time, her emotions were completely embarrassed.
"Yes?"
I saw the bright blush on her cheeks. "When I'm a newborn…and I'm not myself…I don't know if I'll feel exactly the same for you as I do now."
"Of course you will," I said.
"You don't know that," she said. "If I'm so over come with bloodlust, I'm not myself. And I know I want you now…but when I'm a newborn….I might not be as interested in the things I am now….not for a while, anyway."
The embarrassment coming off Bella right now was ridiculous, and I only realized what she was talking about because it was the same type of embarrassment that she had felt that night at dinner, when we talked about Alice and I, and her and I, and sex.
"You're worried you won't want me sexually when you're a newborn," I laughed.
He face was bright read. "Don't laugh," she mumbled.
"Can't help it," I said, still laughing. "But it's insane. It doesn't even matter. I'll wait for you as long as it takes for you to 'be yourself' again; to get pass your newborn stage."
Bella was silent again. "But Jasper," she said after a moment. "I don't know if it will…feel the same. I want to be able to experience something I never have as a human." Embarrassment again.
I frowned, my laughter gone. "Bella…I can't do that. I can't make love with you when you're human. I've only ever been with Alice, Bella, and she is completely unbreakable. Compared to her, you're at china doll, a balloon. I don't think I could…control myself. I would feel better when you aren't so…breakable."
Bella frowned. "But I won't be the same. I won't be me. I'll be blood thirsty."
"Bella," I sighed. "Don't be so extreme. I have a feeling it will be different with you. You'll be changed knowing what to expect. You're mind has already been preparing for this. Remember - mind over matter." I grinned at her. "And I hardly think you'll be so out of control. As a human you are such a put together and controlled individual. I think that will transfer over for you." I smiled at Bella, and touched her cheek. "I'm very sure it will feel exactly the same for us, eve after your change.
It was a moment before Bella huffed at me and pouted a little. "Fine. But I'm not happy."
XxXxXxX
And there we are! :D What did you think? Likey? Please tell me! Review, please. Your reviews are amazing.
And oh! On my profile picture, I have this cool icon I found that has the title to this story. :D Very cool.
