A/N: Alrighty guys true to my word heres chapter 14 yay me! I was floored by the response I had for the last chapter. I loved all the reviews! :) Even if ya'll only reviewed to get the sneak peek.;) There were two reviews that I couldnt respond to and I apologize for that. Alrighty then on to the story.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns everything Twilight and its characters.

JPOV

My words hung suspended in the air. Six supernatural minds were racing trying to process what I had just accused their golden boy of doing.

"What do you mean he's hurt her? How?" Carlisle inquired first.

"Where should I start? Maybe where he's lied to her, as well as all of us, about his undying and all-consuming love for her? Yeah that's bullshit. Before everything happened I was willin' to keep my mouth shut 'cause foolishly, I had hoped that his feelings would develop into love with time. 'Cause he did not love her, but he was romantically infatuated with her and cared about her, in his own way. That's changed though hasn't it Eddie boy?" Edward stood with his jaw clenched and his lips twitching as I laid out his secret.

"No it hasn't because I love her and always have." His words muffled out behind gritted teeth.

Without waiting for anyone to comment I continued.

"Oh come on Edward. You can't possibly be stupid enough to try an' deny what I know. Empath remember. I feel everything you do. That means when a certain little human was broken and sobbin' on the floor in my arms, I felt exactly what you were feelin'. Did you feel love for the woman you had caused so much pain? No. Did ya feel sympathy, guilt, concern or even regret? No. All you felt was possessiveness, jealousy, anger and disgust. You don't love her, you don't even give a damn about her any more. The minute you thought you had competition she became a trophy to be kept. You were disgusted that she was being touched by another weren't you?" I was in his face yelling at him and I knew he was about to snap. I intensified his emotions just enough to push him over the edge.

"No! I was disgusted because she had been tainted. She acted like an animal! She yelled at me. She was not supposed to do that! She was supposed to thank me for saving her, feel indebted to me and forget all about you!" The words burst through his mouth unchecked.

Esme gasped, and Emmett growled at this new information. Rose who had probably already come to a similar conclusion just laid a calming hand on Emmett's arm. Carlisle just stood there impassively while his emotions churned like the sea in a storm.

"How could you Edward? She loves you. She was willing to give up her life for you." Esme's voice was barely above a whisper, pleading for an explanation.

"I never told her to do that!"

The only sound in the room was Edwards angry panting caused by his emotional outburst. No one dared speak. They just tried to wrap their heads around what Edward had said. He never intended to change her and his need for control went farther than we imagined.

I began to wonder, what kind of things he could have done in the past in order to control a situation without any of us knowing. Carlisle has always held Edward's opinion in high regards and followed his suggestions to the letter. How much of that was manipulation? It occurred to me that we don't know Edward at all. We are just now getting a glimpse of who he really is behind his mask of innocence and pomposity.

"Jasper, you gave the impression that there was more. Is there?" Carlisle inquired trying to get all the information before he came to his own conclusions.

"Yeah there is. Much more." I said as I crossed the room to my previous position. I met Carlisle's eyes as I spoke next.

"When Edward cleansed Bella's blood of James' venom, he did far more damage to her than James could've ever done. There was a reason Maria used it as a method of torture." I replied gravely.

"This again Jasper? I did what was best for Bella. Besides for that unpleasant business that day and the side effects, she is fine." Edward has always been a righteous asshole but him describing Bella's emotional breakdown as 'unpleasant business' made me want to strangle him.

"No Edward she's not! She's been lyin' to save ya'll from the pain of knowing just how tortured she is!"

"What has she been lying about?" The concern dripping off Esme was reflected in her voice and on her face.

I really didn't want to tell everyone how bad things were with Bella. I swiped my hand through my hair and paced the floor a few times giving me a few moments to think. They should know what Bella is going through but how will Bella react when she finds out that I told them. She never explicitly asked me not to tell them but she implied it with every stolen glance. How can I tell them when it's her place to divulge her own secrets. Then again, if I leave it up to her she will never tell them. She will continue to suffer in silence. Ok so I will tell them everything, everything from her blatant lie about her arm, to the lies by omission. I will no longer be the guardian of her secrets. I stopped my pacing and swept my eyes across the faces of my family.

"The burnin' in her arm never went away. It's still there and still as strong as it was when she first woke up. Her rage as well, is still there, boiling just beneath the surface. She ain't that pure, innocent girl we knew before the attack. There's a darkness in her that's slowly consuming her. She's filled with rage, violence, resentment and fear. Every minute of every day she is tormented, physically and mentally." I pointedly looked at Edward at the end of my speech. Willing him to read the hatred and disgust I held for him.

"And pretendin' that the physical changes are just side effects, as if she's just a had a bad reaction to some damn medication, shows exactly how much you care for her well being, Edward. Because of those changes, she no longer fits in with her own kind and it's tormenting her. She thinks the reason you didn't let her change was because you don't think she's good enough to want to stay with her forever. But we both know the real reason don't we Edward? You don't want to change her 'cause you don't want her to see herself as your equal. She's easier to control if she thinks she's inferior to you." My anger had built and built until I was barely able to keep my voice down and I was clenching my fists ready to deck the bastard in his pretty face.

To say that everyone was shocked was like saying it's a mistake to kick a bull in the balls when he's getting branded, a understanding of epic proportions. We could all hear Esme choking back her sobs caused by the grief for her human daughter. Carlisle was wracked with regret, fear and guilt. Emmett, well he was plain mad. He stood there glaring at Edward looking like he would charge any second. Rose, who was standing beside him was almost as angry as well as regretful and sympathetic, placed a soothing hand on his arm.

Alice, who had sat like a statue this entire time with her emotions unreadable, was angry, but instead of glaring at Edward like the others, she was shooting daggers at me. Then it was like she exploded. The table went flying in every direction in chunks and her chair was thrown backwards into Edward, splintering into a million pieces. In a blur she was standing two feet in front of me looking murderous.

"So that's why you want to throw away fifty years of marriage? That's why you think you love her? Because she's like a wounded puppy? She's playing you Jasper! She's playing the poor little victim to take you away from me and you're falling for it! Quit thinking with your dick and use your brains!" She was angry and hysterical, her voice reaching heights that would be hurting dogs ears two counties away.

I tried to calm her down but she was resisting and her emotions continued to go unchecked. Esme came up and tried placing a comforting hand on her shoulder but Alice paid no attention to her and shrugged her away. I saw the look in Esme's eyes as she backed away. She was hurt and conflicted. She wanted to help her daughter but her daughter had rejected her. The sight of what this was doing to Esme combined with the raw emotions battering my senses woke the old struggle between the demon within and my humanity.

"You're out o' line Alice! How can you think so badly of her? She's your best friend! Or has your wounded pride caused you to forget that?" I yelled angrily as both our emotions rose to new heights.

"And he's your brother! That's not stopping you from trying to turn the family on him so you can steal his mate!"

"He's no brother of mine, and you're the one being fooled if you think Edward has done no wrong!"

Alice smacked my chest pushing me back as she took a step closer bringing us nearly toe to toe.

"You're the one that's fallen for the oldest trick in the book! 'Oh, woe is me. I have a horrible boyfriend that's wronged me and I need a big strong hero to save me.' Really Jasper I thought you were smarter than that." Her voice was mocking and shrill.

"Oh for all that is unholy in this world! Alice! You know that ain't the case. I loved her before Edward fucked her over!" I leaned down and yelled in her face.

I was trying hard to fight my instincts that screamed at me to just lash out and shut her up. I would never do that to Alice or any woman but my demon knew no respect of the sexes or right and wrong.

"No you didn't!" Alice stepped closer and hit me once more in the chest forcing me backwards.

"You lusted after her!" Another hit to my chest and another step back.

"You wanted to fuck her warm little body that she paraded around here for you to drool over!" Every few words she smacked my chest and forced me to retreat from her.

"And you!" My back hit the wall and I had nowhere left to go as she continued to brutalize my torso.

"You fell right into her little trap!" Alice pushed me by the shoulders into the wall. The wall cracked and plaster fell around me.

The beast was clawing at my resolve to be set loose. I was cornered and the beast dictated that I must fight. That I must reach out and eliminate my only obstacle. Anger had taken over and all the rational part of me wanted to do was slap the little brat and shut her mouth. My vision was tinted in red and my body vibrated with barely contained violence. When I spoke, my voice was low and menacing.

"I'm warnin' you Alice. I ain't ever hit a woman out of anger but if you don't shut your mouth and back the fuck off, right now, I might not have a choice in the matter."

"Fuck you."

Smack!

My face whipped to the side and my eyes closed. I lost the battle. Jasper Whitlock Hale was gone and the demon that demanded retribution was set free. A low threatening growl rumbled from my chest. Slowly turned my head facing the room and with a sinister grin twisting my pale lips I open my eyes. The spiteful little pixie standing before me gasped and backed away with her eyes widened in fright. The others, I assume had crowded around after she hit me to stop any more violence, also took a step back. All but two. Mr. Muscle and Daddy Dearest.

Ignoring them, I focused on the one who should have known better than to tempt the beast.

"So the little bitch wants to play rough." I chuckled.

"I can do that." I stalked forward as she retreated.

Muscle man tried to maneuver discreetly into position behind me as Father Perfect stepped in to block my path. As he spoke, he raised his hand to rest on my shoulder.

"Jasper, son, remember who you are. You don't want to do this." His voice was soothing in attempts to coax the beast back into submission.

I moved my eyes slowly from his face to the hand on my shoulder then back to his compassionate face.

"Old man, I suggest you remove your hand from my body or I will remove it from yours." I deadpanned.

He gave me a wounded look and began to move his hand, his eyes briefly flicked to something over my shoulder. I smiled at the simplicity of the plan I was about to foil.

Faster than lightning, I grabbed dear ol' dad by the throat and spun around throwing him into to the surprised lug behind me. Together they crashed through the wall as I rushed towards the little pixie of lies. Blondie and Mother Bloodsucker made a move to stop me but I hit them with a powerful wave of fear that stopped them in their tracks and rooted them to the floor in terror.

The mind reader had pushed the midget fortuneteller into the other room and was attempting to shield her but it's not going to work for long. I sent the bastard the image of his precious toy, naked on her hands and knees looking over her shoulder with those doe-eyes wide, her luscious lips silently calling my name. He roared and lunged. I easily sidestepped him grabbing his arm and leg and kicked sending him flying minus two limbs. Discarding the appendages, I turned to my target. I pinned her to the wall with my forearm across her chest and my other hand on her throat poised to rip her lying little head off.

"You knew better bitch. You started this, now I'm ending it." I told her my voice rough in anticipation.

I tightened my grip on her neck and she screamed then began sobbing. Her doll hands were clawing at my arms and her legs kicked trying to break free. Through her sobs, she begged for her life.

"Jasper please…Don't…I'm sorry…I didn't mean any of it…Please…Let me go…I'm so sorry…"

Looking at her, I could almost see tears running down her cheeks. Then in my mind I saw another face. A face with red-rimmed chocolaty brown eyes, her bottom lip trapped between her teeth biting back the pain of the fire traveling in her veins, tears streaking down her face mixing with dirt and blood. I heard the whimper of my angel as she begged me to help her. Bella. I had become the monster that had done that to her. The red began to clear and my hold on Alice loosened.

Oh my god. What have I done? I was going to kill Alice. I'm no better than James

The family, save for Edward, had now recovered and were dragging me off of Alice. She immediately sank to the floor in a sobbing mess of quivering limbs. I just stared wide eyed at the woman I had once called wife, repulsed by what I had done to her. I blinked and surveyed my surroundings. Esme was kneeling next to Edward holding his arm and leg as they knitted themselves back into place. Carlisle and Emmett still held me with my arms locked behind me and Rose was consoling Alice while casting me furtive glances.

"Oh god. What have I done?" My voice sounded raw and broken.

Carlisle and Emmett, realizing there was no more need to restrain me, released my arms. Carlisle went to Edward to assess his injuries but Emmett didn't move from my side. I looked over at him with my despair painted on my face. I expected to feel anger, shame, and disgust from him but I didn't, he just gave me a sympathetic look, pity and understanding assaulting my senses. I tasted the emotions of the others. I did feel anger from Edward and Alice, which is understandable, but the others held not an ounce of anger. Instead, there was sympathy, disappointment, and understanding. I couldn't understand why they weren't pissed at me. I had just lost all control and tried to kill Alice and they did not blame me or hate me. I can't take this.

I took one last look at my family and started running, out of the door, across the clearing, and through the trees. I had no destination just the need for escape. I let my feet move and the world blur past me. It wasn't until I caught the familiar scents of freesia and lilac dancing on the breeze that I bothered to register where I was. My feet had taken me to the only person that could make my world right.

I slowed to a stop just within the tree line surrounding Bella's house. The light in her bedroom was off and I only felt the emotions of her father sleeping down the hall so I knew she was sleeping soundly, oblivious to the events of the night and the danger lurking in the dark. I jumped into the tree below her window and climbed up onto a branch that gave me an unobstructed view of her room through the glass.

I don't know how long I sat there just listening to the beat of her heart while committing every detail of her to memory. My eyes were tracing the soft curve of her bottom lip for what must have been the hundredth time when I heard someone approaching. I briefly wondered on who had been elected to follow me and bring me home.

The figure stepped out of the trees and I saw that is was Rosalie. She would be the logical choice. Behind Alice, Rosalie is the one that knows me best. From the minute I walked into their home, we had found a kindred spirit in one another. We both had erected a shield between the world and ourselves. Through time we bonded, and I could easily say that I loved Rose as much as I would have if she were my own flesh and blood sister.

"Playing stalker now Jasper?" Rosalie said with an edge of humor in her otherwise sad voice.

"I guess I am." I replied, giving her a small wry smile.

Rosalie shook her head slightly and chuckled quietly.

"Well at least you didn't go as far as Edward and sneak into her room." She said as she leapt fluidly into the air landing gracefully on the branch and taking a seat on my right side.

"Ha. Yeah, well, even I know there are some boundaries you shouldn't cross." I retorted sardonically.

There was a long moment of silence in which Rosalie's emotions cycled through sadness, sympathy, anger, fear, and finally rested on calm determination.

"Speaking of boundaries. You know we all understand, right? We know that what happened back there wasn't your fault. Alice crossed a line. You warned her and, given that you two have been together so long, she should have known to back off when you told her to. Your past nurtured the demon and now if pushed too hard or the wrong buttons are stomped on you can lose yourself." Rose's voice was so matter of fact that I had no doubt that what she said was true, to her at least.

"That doesn't excuse it, Rose. The ones around me shouldn't have to make exceptions for me just because of my past. I should be able to keep control. I can't stop imagining how bad it could have been if Bella had been there. She wouldn't have lived through it." I was angry and frustrated at myself and Rose could see my turmoil.

"Jasper, have you even thought that maybe it was because of what Alice was saying about Bella that prompted your demon to take control? If Bella had been there, you would have been more concerned about how Alice's lies were hurting her and getting her out of there than stopping Alice or defending Bella. If Bella had been there, you would have walked away the moment you felt your control was in danger. I don't believe one word Alice and Edward say about your poor control. You have never lost control with a human, you slipped those few times in the first years but since then you have not even snapped at a human. Alice and Edward can eat their words." Her voice rose with conviction and I had no choice but to take her words to heart.

I stared at Rose dumbfounded, I hadn't thought about it like that. She did make a good point. Edward and Alice spouted left and right about my bloodlust and why I can't do this or that because of it and yet I haven't actually given in to bloodlust since the third year I was with the family. They wouldn't lie to me about it though, would they? I cast my eyes to Rosalie meeting her sharp gaze. They had lied. At the moment though, I didn't care. Edward lying seems to be nothing new, and if Alice lied, she usually had a good reason.

I thought about the irony of how Rosalie was so beautiful on the inside but acted so ugly while looking so gorgeous and yet she could see through all of the world's pretty lies and masks to the ugliness beneath or vise versa. Rose truly was an enigma or maybe more like a pecan. On the outside, a hard ugly shell gives the impression that there could never be anything good inside. However, crack the shell open and there's a sweet, tender, and complicated surprise just waiting for someone to care enough to look past the shell and appreciate the soft juicy center.

"No Rose, I hadn't thought about it that way. I hadn't thought about any of it. Still, I can't gamble on if's and maybe's. Bella deserves a man that's not so damaged and volatile. She deserves the man that Edward acted like before I became a threat to him."

Rosalie nodded and looked at me.

"You're leaving her alone aren't you?" Her voice was soft.

I met her eyes sadly, begging her to understand. I hadn't even made the decision until I opened my mouth. Looking at Bella though I knew I had to do this. Chasing after her only made things harder on her, only put her in more danger, from Edward and myself. The last thing I want to do is hurt her or cause her any more grief. It's for those reasons that I am going to step aside and leave her be. She will never know of my love for her. Edward will no longer see me as a threat and he will return to the same charming and loving person he had been before. As long as his position is not challenged she is safe.

"Yes." I said looking back at Bella's slumbering form.

"Why?"

"Because I love her and as long as I stay away from her she is safe."

My words confused and angered Rosalie.

"Safe from whom? You or Edward?" She asked incredulously.

I looked over at her and her face was screwed up in confusion and disbelief.

"From both of us Rose. Edward is only a threat to her if I'm a threat to him. I'm killing two birds with one stone."

"That's bullshit and you know it. It won't change anything, he wont stop. Edward was going to get like this no matter what. If it hadn't been you then it would have been someone or something else. The only thing you're going to accomplish is torturing yourself." Rosalie hissed angrily.

"Then damnit, I'll just have to manipulate his emotions, make him feel love for her!" I replied heatedly.

"You can't do that forever Jasper." Rosalie's emotions turned to pity.

I closed my eyes and bent my head.

"That may be true but I still have to try, I have to believe that this'll work. I can't keep playing tug-o-war with Bella's heart. It's only hurtin' everyone around me."

I lifted my face and saw her staring at me with an invisible sheen of unshed tears in her eyes.

"Jasper, I love you like a brother, I can't bear to watch you suffer like this. You need her, and whether she knows it or not, she needs you too. Please, please don't do this."

"I'm sorry Rose, but I have to. Please understand that I am doing this not only for her but for everyone. I don't want to hurt the family anymore. I'm tearin' the family apart, everyone is turnin' on each other and their loyalties are being divided. I'm just trying to make everything right again." I knew I had won her over by adding the family into the argument, there is nothing Rosalie holds higher than family.

Rosalie turned back to the window, took a sharp breath and bit her lip nodding in understanding.

I could see the black sky turning grey and knew we would have to leave soon. Before we left the privacy of this tree though, I needed to ask something of Rosalie.

"Rose?"

"Yeah?" Her voice was unsteady and thick with tears.

"Look after her for me? You're the only one that understands what's really going on. She'll need someone on her side if I can't be there."

Rosalie shook her head and her eyes hardened. For a moment I panicked thinking that she would deny my request.

"No we'll take care of her. Emmett understands and is prepared to rip Edward apart of he just looks at her wrong." Her voice shook with conviction and I knew that I wouldn't have to worry about my fallen angel while I was dragging my spirit through the pits of hell. I nodded and jumped down lightly with Rosalie landing silently beside me.

"Thanks Rose."

Rosalie engulfed me in a tight hug.

"You won't be able to stay away from her forever." She whispered against my shoulder.

I stepped out of her embrace. That's what I'm afraid of.

We stood within the shadows of the tree line until we heard Bella wake up and turn her light on shortly after dawn filled the sky. Wordlessly we turned and ran towards home. As I ran through the dew-laden foliage, I couldn't fight the feeling of foreboding that seemed to seep from my bones into my stagnant veins.