***I'm back! I missed all of you! Thanks for reading and responding to that last chapter. I wanted to respond to all of you, but I left for vacation and then when I came back I thought you'd rather have me write this chapter instead.

***Thanks to Jasper's Darlin' Kathy and TwiCarol for helping me get this chapter out so quickly.

***The lemon in this chapter is a birthday present for TwiCarol (sayitoutloud73). I wanted to give her a willing Jackson, but I just couldn't deliver, so I let her set the stage for this lemon. She picked the location and I just put in the dirty stuff. I hope you all think it was worth the wait!

JPOV

"I'm going to kill her," I said, as I tore up the note and threw it to the ground. I was enraged and I knew I had to get away from here.

"And, you'll have every right," Felix said. "But we have to find her first."

"How the hell are we going to do that, Felix?" I snapped. "She's making fools of us."

"Jasper," Edward said. "If you lose it now, you are playing right into her hands. She can't get out of Italy, eventually we'll find her."

"When?" I asked. "After she turns Cullen and grooms him to be me?"

"Jasper," Edward said, but I cut him off.

"No," I said, as I headed for the woods. "I have to go."

"Where?" he asked.

"For a run. I need to clear my head and get away from all of these emotions." My mind was all over the place. "Just have Alice bring Bella back to the villa. Tell her I'll meet her there and that I'm sorry that I left."

I took off running. I could still pick up Cullen's scent, but the further I ran, the more distant it became. What was she doing with my son? I couldn't run any longer. I dropped to my knees and put my head in my hands. I never deserved him. I was evil. The things I had done when I was with Maria should not go unpunished. I knew that. I had no right to make Bella mine. When I found her in that lecture hall in Alaska, I should have walked away. Why didn't I? She was too good for me. But, I couldn't leave her. I needed her. She always thought that I had saved her, but it was the other way around. She loved me unconditionally and accepted me for who I was; demons and all. She willingly let me turn her, so that I could keep her with me for all of eternity. She gave me a life that I never knew was possible. She gave me a family of my own, and I couldn't even keep them safe. I wasn't worthy of them.

I closed my eyes and thought back to those days shortly before we found out she was pregnant with Cullen.

My Bella was stunning in the moonlight, standing by a palm tree, as the ocean line skimmed her toes. She was wearing a little yellow dress that barely covered her body, and it was incredibly sexy. Her diamond ring; my ring, sparkled on her finger as the moon beams hit it. I still couldn't grasp the fact that she was mine. How did that happen?

I sat on the back deck and watched her as she was lost in thought. She couldn't be happier, I felt that. She was so content in her new life, and that made me feel amazing. I was worried that she'd have trouble adjusting to this new life, but, as usual, she continued to shock me over and over again. My gorgeous girl relished in her vampire life, and I never felt not one ounce of regret coming from her.

"Why are you all the way over there?" she whispered. "Come down here and join me."

I was by her side before she even had time to finish her request.

She licked her lips and raked her eyes over my body. I had just showered and put on a pair of black drawstring lounge pants and a grey button down shirt that I hadn't managed to button. She ran her fingers up and down my exposed chest, and I felt her lust spike. She slipped the shirt off of my body and started kissing my chest.

"Bella?" I said.

"It's been almost two hours, Jasper," she said.

"That's not that long, darlin'." She was insatiable, but I wasn't complaining.

"But you said that once I was like you, we'd never have to stop." She bit her bottom lip, a human trait that I was glad she carried over into her new life. How could I resist her?

"It seems you crave sex more than blood. I've never encountered a newborn like you before." I laughed.

"I only crave you," she purred. "Is that such a bad thing?" she asked, as she moved in and seductively ran her tongue down my neck.

"No," I said, as I slipped the straps of her dress down over her shoulders. "It's a very good thing."

She licked her way down my chest and sucked my right nipple into her mouth, as I ran my fingers through her hair. She moved up to my mouth and thrust her tongue between my parted lips. I groaned into her mouth as she took control of the situation. She grabbed a handful of my hair and pushed me closer to her. I still couldn't get used to the idea that she no longer needed to breathe. Her desire for me was crashing into me, and the smell of her arousal sent a bolt of electricity right to my cock.

"You're dripping down your legs, aren't you?" I whispered.

She took my hands and placed them under her dress and on her thigh. "My panties are soaked," she said. "Take them off of me."

I growled, as I ripped them from her body. I bunched the thin material of her dress under my fingers and pushed it up on either side of her hips, as I dropped to my knees, pushing her up against the palm tree. I spread her legs and began licking the juices from her thighs.

"It's too tempting," I said. "I have to taste you."

"Yes," she moaned, as she threw her head back. "I want to feel your tongue deep inside of me."

I eagerly dipped my tongue inside her folds, greedily taking all she had to offer me. Her legs quivered as she gripped my shoulders for support. I sucked her clit hard into my mouth and then bit down on it; something I knew she couldn't resist.

"Oh…Jasper…" I could feel her orgasm coming on quickly and it was so powerful, it was enough to throw me over the edge. I growled against her, as I slipped my fingers inside her. That was all she could take as she screamed out my name, and then collapsed to her knees on the sand facing me. She smiled at me, and then licked her fresh arousal off of my lips and chin. That was too fucking sexy.

"Oh, no darlin'," I said, as I inserted my fingers in her mouth so that she could taste even more of her sweet juices. "We're not finished." I pulled her back up to her feet.

She quickly ripped my pants down and eagerly attacked my mouth. I lifted her dress back up over her hips, pushing her against the tree, as I forcefully entered her. She squeezed her eyes shut, raising her arms up so that she could wrap them around the tree. I lifted her legs around my waist and continued to push further into her tight core.

"Harder, Jasper…please…"

I could feel how much she wanted me, and that want almost outweighed how much I needed her. I grabbed a fistful of her hair and pulled her closer to my face, as I thrust into her with the force I knew her body could now accept. We continued this fierce pace for several more minutes, and then I felt her walls tighten around me.

"Jasper…"

"Cum for me, darlin'." I grunted out. "Let me feel you."

She let go and I could feel her release wash over me. I couldn't hold on any longer. "Bella…" I screamed out her name. She let go of the tree and wrapped her arms around my neck.

"I love you." she whispered.

I buried my face in the crook of her neck and kissed her over and over again. I could feel how satisfied she was. "My gorgeous girl," I said. "I love you more than you'll ever know."

"You have an eternity to show me," she reminded me. "And, I want you to show me every day." She slid down my body and pulled off her dress. I took in her glorious, naked form, and realized that I'd be showing her much more tonight.

She smiled at me, took my hand and led me to the water. "Let's go for a swim," she said, as we ran into the ocean.

Bella? How did we get so far from that time and place? I didn't doubt my love for her, nor hers for me, but this was the second major blow we had to face in our road to forever. I had to stop thinking this way. We had overcome the paternity obstacle, and we were stronger for it. We would find Cullen because we had one another, and we could get through this. We had the weight of the Volturi behind us, and the love and support of our family, but most importantly we had a little boy who was counting on us to come and get him. Cullen was our life and I would never stop searching for him.

My phone began to vibrate, and without even looking at the display screen, I knew it wasn't good. I flipped it open and heard her vile voice.

"Did you get my note?" she asked.

"Fuck you." I growled out.

"Now, Jasper is that anyway to talk to the woman who is going to raise your son?"

"I'm going to find you; you stupid bitch, and when I do there won't be an army strong enough to protect you."

"No, but I have an empath who can help me now."

"I swear if you hurt him…" she cut me off.

"Be nice, or I won't let you talk to him."

"What? Put him on the phone."

"Daddy?" I almost broke at the sound of his sweet little voice. He sounded so brave.

"Hey, cowboy, how are you?" I tried to keep my emotions in check. I didn't want to alert him that there was a problem.

"When are you coming to get me?" he asked, and I felt my heart tearing in two.

"Soon, Cullen, very soon. Are you okay?"

"Yes, Maria is very easy to manipulate," he said. "She lets me use my power whenever I want. The big vampires are always angry and they don't like when I do it."

She was allowing him to use his gift so that she could test him. She wanted to see how far she could get him to go.

"Cullen," I said. "Do you know where you are?"

"Say goodbye to your dad," Maria said, and I knew when I found her, I would rip her fucking voice box out before I tore her head off. "We'll call him later. Why don't you go watch television in the other room?"

"Bye Daddy, I love you," he said. "And Mommy, too."

"I love you, too." I closed my eyes and tried to focus on any background noise that might help me figure out where they were, but it was no use, she was too smart for that.

"Hello, gorgeous," she said.

Just the sound of her voice made my mouth fill with venom. "Give him back."

"No," she said, "If you want him, then you'll have to join me."

"You can't have us both."

"Maybe his mother will feel differently."

"Don't you go anywhere near Bella."

"Are you going to make it just as easy for me to get to her, too?"

I growled into the phone.

"Then you'll have nothing," she laughed. "But, I won't keep her. No, I'll destroy her, so that you'll have no choice but to join me and Cullen. We can be one happy little family."

"No," I yelled, but she had already hung up. I sprung to my feet and took off running toward the villa. I would never let her get to Bella. As soon as I approached the villa, I smelled him. What was he doing here? He must have sensed me too, because before I even slowed my pace, he was standing on the porch waiting for me.

I let out an unnecessary breath. "What are you doing here?"

"Did you think I would fucking stay away?" He pulled me into an embrace, and I could feel his worry and concern. "I'm here to help you get your kid back. Look at yourself, you're a fucking mess. You obviously need me."

"Thanks," I said, as I leaned against his shoulder. "I think you are exactly who we need."

Maria's POV

I couldn't contain my laughter after hanging up the phone with Jasper. He brought this whole mess upon himself. It may have taken me decades to come for him, but I was here now, and I had given him a choice. He chose wrong and now his son would take his place. It was a win, win for me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, surprised that he was standing in the doorway. "Demetri and Felix will smell you as soon as they get here."

"Maybe I don't care anymore," he said, and I could tell how upset he was over his betrayal.

"Don't be ridiculous," I said. "You can't sacrifice your life to help me. Aro and Caius can't find out, Marcus. You shouldn't be here."

"I was supposed to help you get out of Italy," he hissed. "Not help you torment Jasper."

"I'm just having some fun before I leave. I'm giving him one final chance to reconsider."

"So, it is him you want?"

"Don't be jealous, Marcus," I said. "It's always been Jasper that I've wanted."

"Not always," he reminded me.

"We were over before we even got started. You were married and had a life before me."

"I would have given it all up, if Aro hadn't sent you away."

"You knew he sent me away?"

"Of course," he looked at me for a few moments, as if he was reflecting on some far off memory.

"Why didn't you ever say anything?"

"Because I enjoyed watching Aro give in to your every whim throughout the years."

"How did you keep it from him that you knew?"

"I just tried not to think of you, and that's why my relationship with my daughter is so damaged. I couldn't do what was right for her without thinking of you. Over the years, it just became easier to forget about you, but Aro is smart, and he knows that I knew what he had done."

"Then why did he allow me to get away with the things I have been doing over the years?"

"Because he feels remorse, and it was his way of honoring your agreement. Plus, up until now, you have managed to stay out of his way." He shook his head. "But, now that you have taken Cullen, you are interfering with something far more powerful. He has unleashed the full Guard on you, and he will allow Jasper to destroy you."

"Which means that whatever Aro knows about the future is very important. I'm not handing Cullen back to him, and you will help me."

"I'll help you get out of Italy, but Cullen stays here," he warned. "I didn't sign on to kidnap Jasper's son and go against the Cullen coven."

"What is it about the animal drinkers that make them so special?"

"It's not your concern."

"No," I snapped. "I'm taking Cullen with me, that's non-negotiable. He is my second chance at motherhood, among other things."

"What are you talking about? Among other things?"

"I lost Jasper, but now I can have his son. He can be everything that I knew Jasper could be, and he'll be my chance to raise a child of my own. You and Aro took that from me the first time around."

"Aro took it from you," he said.

"And so did you, when you told me over and over again that you wouldn't leave your wife. What was I supposed to do when Aro offered me that deal?"

"You could have come to me. I would have found a way. Do you realize what we have done to Claudia?"

"She seems fine to me. She's living a life with her prince charming, and she didn't do so bad. Have you seen him?"

"It took her years to get to this place, and it's only because of Edward."

"It's in the past," I said. "I can't change it, but I would like to meet her before I leave. Can you arrange it?"

"Absolutely not," he snapped. "She won't protect you against the Cullen's, and it would hurt her far too much to see you after all of these years. You leave her alone."

"Fine," I said. "Like I said before, I'm getting a do over."

"You can't replace Claudia with Cullen. What about Bella?"

I hated hearing her name. "She has Jasper," I said, as the venom filled my mouth. "He'll take care of her." I should kill her before I leave, but getting that close to her was far too dangerous. I had to stick with my original plan. Cullen was the bigger prize.

"He'll never stop searching for you."

"He won't find me," I said.

"I have to go," he said. "You can stay here another day. Felix won't look here tonight, and then I'll arrange to charter a plane for you. You have two days with the boy. Jasper will have suffered enough by then, and then you and your coven will leave Italy and never return. That is the only way you will survive Jasper and the Volturi."

"Thank you," I smiled. I could let him believe that he was winning, but there was no way I was giving back Cullen, especially knowing that Aro wanted him.