Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed the previous chapter. I replied to those with an account, but I'd also like to express my gratitude to the anonymous reviewers who took the time to leave me feedback.

From a nine month break between chapters, to five days; pretty good, haha ;)

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

Chapter 20: The 'Catch-up'

I was a fucking idiot. An absolute fool who had allowed his anger to overcome his logic. Why the fuck had I smashed my phone? Why hadn't I taken the unrelenting ringing of Bella's mobile as something other than an idiotic school girl's persistence?

"Jasper, please," Bella puffed out, breathing heavily as I dragged her up the hillside behind me. I had thrown her clothes on hastily over her wet body and the fabric was now sticking in awkward patterns across her torso and arms. "What the hell is going on!?" she gasped unevenly, successfully pulling her forearm free from my grip.

I gave her a pleading look, and without another word, scooped her into my arms and continued carrying her towards the bike. She shivered softly in my grip; the combination of her soaking wet skin and my ice cold body pressed against her. Nonetheless, despite the cold and the waves of calm that I attempted to soothe her with, Bella began to thrash in my grip and shout expletives in my ear.

"My God, you're stubborn," I hissed softly, causing her to smack me with the full extent of her human strength. "Bella!" I groaned, twisting her so that she faced me. "I promise you, I will explain everything when I get you safely home. But right now, I need you to trust me."

Her dark eyes surveyed me silently for a moment, before she nodded reluctantly and ceased thrashing in my arms.

We reached the bike and I threw myself upon the saddle, twisting Bella's form behind me and shifting into gear.

"For the love of God, hold on to me tightly, Bella."

She nodded quickly and slipped the helmet on which I passed her, flipping closed the visor and locking her arms around my waist. The back wheel of the bike spun rapidly in the sludgy terrain for a moment, spraying mud across the trees behind us before freeing itself from the trap and rocketing the bike forward.

With lethal speed and direction, I tore through the foggy trees silently, pushing the throttle as far forward as it would go and attempting to placate Bella's nerves which increased with the speed meter. Bella's phone was now crammed snuggly in my jeans pocket which would alert me the moment that Alice foresaw an event that would warrant a hasty change of plan. Or direction. I continued to inwardly berate myself; unable to understand why I had relied solely on Alice's visions for the time of arrival of my friends. Of course Charlotte and Peter would seek me out first, my family's size remained the most intimidating factor to them despite the fact that they had conversed on several occasions with the Cullen Coven.

Rain began to fall; hard and fast, pelting against my face as I swerved off the dirt track onto the main road. What the fuck was happening to Alice's visions?! Hadn't she predicted only cloud cover for today? The tires squealed against the slippery concrete, skidding down the highway as the roads grew more wet.

I wasn't far off now; perhaps ten minutes if I kept up my current speed. The rain began to weep across my face and I twisted the throttle once more as lighting cracked overhead. I could see the town; a tiny collection of wooden blocks in the distance, and the nerves and mind numbing fear which gripped me began to dissipate.

It would be fine. Peter and Charlotte were probably still--

"If it isn't my old friend Jasper Whitlock."

--twenty feet ahead.

The bike screeched with an ear splitting cry as I hastily applied the breaks; the scent of burning rubber making me cough and splutter at the fumes. Bella's heart pounded like a jack hammer against my back and her finger nails clawed through my jacket as the bike skidded across the road, pulling to a stop three feet from our sudden companions.

"…Quite an entrance," Charlotte mused, stepping closer to the bike as the wind whipped her white-blond hair around her face. "I was beginning to think you were avoiding us." She was holding Peter's hand, her bright red eyes dazzling in the darkened light. They shone like freshly polished rubies and my dread lessened just a little; pleased that they had fed recently. "Come now, Jasper," she continued, smiling so that each of her brilliant teeth shone like alabaster stones. "Let's not be coy, tell us who your fine friend here is?"

If it were possible, Bella's heart rate climbed higher and I bared my teeth in defiance; the harsh hiss of threat slicing through the silence.

Peter laughed, low and rich, before tightening his hold on Charlotte and bringing her back to his left side. "Jasper, friend, you know that neither Charlotte nor I would ever feed in Forks; we made this agreement years ago and we would never dare break it. Charlotte, I'm afraid, has simply never understood the expression 'curiosity killed the cat'." Both he and Charlotte laughed this time; a perfect harmony of soprano and bass. They were both calm, their emotions light and easy, but there was another persona; anxious and curious, yet unmistakably zealous, coming from behind the two mates. It was at this point that I first noticed the company of another; the unknown nomad that Alice had foreseen traveling with them. He was standing on the edge of the road, his wild eyes locked on mine. His emotions were wary as he took in my ravaged form; no doubt suspicious of the many scars which marred my skin. However, it was his eyes which I was most drawn to; an uncommon shade of bronze which I had never once come across on a vampire.

"Oh, now I see," Peter sighed, noticing the direction of my attention and misunderstanding my hostility as a reaction to the presence of their stranger. "How silly of me, I should have known you would react like this. Jasper, this is--"

"Perhaps we can continue these introductions away from the main road," Charlotte suggested, gesturing to the wide expanse of highway which we currently occupied. "We can stop in town, if you'd like? Perhaps your human needs feeding, Jasper?"

I considered that for a moment. I was sure that Bella had now missed lunch, but I could not risk their presence in the town, nor a closer proximity to Bella.

"No, I'd rather drop Bella home first," I answered, throwing her a wave of calm and shifting back into gear.

"She has name, how wonderful," Charlotte smiled in earnest, laughing her bell-like laugh. "This is Michal;" she gestured to the man at the back of their group and he nodded his head once in conformation. "He doesn't speak much," she added.

"No, but perhaps we'll be able to speak more in depth about it all once Jasper knows his little friend is safe from the bad vampires," Peter teased, flashing his flawless smile and staring at Bella through her visor. "Shall we meet here again in, say, thirty minutes?"

I shook my head; "we'll meet at the house in half an hour and you can reacquaint me with your new friend--"

"And you can tell us all about yours," Peter agreed, smiling.

I nodded once.

"Fabulous," Charlotte approved, moving backwards towards the woods. "I must say, there is an awful lot to catch up on," and with those final words, she and Peter disappeared into the woods, leaving barely a foot print on the rain-soaked road. Michal stood motionless for a moment, still lingering in the shadows on the outskirts of the road, before giving us one final nod and shooting between the trees as rapidly as a bullet.

I released the unnecessary breath I'd been holding and pulled out Bella's mobile.

"Alice," I barked, the minute the dialing tone connected, "I need a favour."

She sighed audibly on the other end. "Yes, I know. Don't worry, I'll be there in ten."

She hung up, and I inwardly cheered at the fact that at least some of her visions remained reliable.

Twisting my frame so that I could face Bella, I pulled off her helmet and kissed her long and hard; my hands tangling in her frazzled tresses. I ravaged her lips, thrusting my tongue into her warm mouth and kissing her with all the momentary relief I currently felt as the rain pelted against our faces. When I pulled back, she was panting; but her emotions told me she was still utterly pissed.

"Home," she said shortly, the rain plastering her hair against her face and neck. "And then you explain everything, mister."

I nodded and she slipped the helmet back on, locking her arms around my waist and kicking the bike as though it were a horse.

I revved the engine once, checking to ensure it still worked after its recent debacle, before releasing the break and flying down the highway towards Forks. I was still unsure about Charlotte and Peter's presence in Forks; not to mention their elusive friend who I knew little more about than his first name. His emotions had been energetic, but not volatile; however, his eyes were a clear indicator that he should not be trusted.

I saw Bella in my minds eye; bruised, broken and drained of blood, and I revved the engine further, eager to put distance between us and the trio of nomads. I would not risk Bella's life any further than I already had.

We swerved through the town quickly then, passing the small, matchbox houses and heading south/west down Bogachiel Way. Alice's scent was strong here, fresh and clinging to every tree. Sure enough, when we pulled into the drive outside Bella's weathered house, she was swinging languidly on a tree beside the windows.

"Try to act normal," I bristled, shifting the bike into park and turning the engine off. "Not many people sit around in trees while it rains."

Alice shrugged, pouncing lithely from the branches and dancing over towards Bella as she removed her helmet.

"You remember me, I'm sure," Alice said with a smile, taking Bella's hand in hers and all but lifting her off the bike.

"Yes, of course, you're in three of my classes, Alice. And even if you weren't, I doubt I'd forget you very easily."

Alice laughed lightly and Bella glanced towards me, her face openly expectant. "Jasper, we have things that need discussing," she said sharply, squeezing my hand in a manner she desired to be threatening.

I squeezed it back softly and gestured to the house; "whenever you're ready--"

"Yes, we're all very ready," Alice interrupted, bouncing towards the house and up the small, concrete steps. "But you have places to be, Jasper, vampires to amuse. So let's make this snappy shall we?"

We moved towards the house and Bella tugged on my hand roughly; "you are not leaving until I understand what's going on," she hissed in a whisper, moving into the front door and peeling of her soaking jacket.

"Bella, Bella," Alice sighed, "I know you and I are going to have a lot of fun together tonight, and anything Jasper doesn't explain to your liking, I will simply correct when he's left."

I stared disbelievingly at Alice, but Bella's emotions shifted from irritancy to contentment; clearly pleased with Alice's proposal.

"Okay, fine," I agreed, moving to sit in the living room. "Let's get this over with." I patted the spot beside me and Bella somewhat reluctantly sat down; twisting on the couch so that she faced me.

"First off," she said, tying her hair behind her head and pushing the strays behind her ears. "Why was I dragged away from a warm, pleasant spring and dragged up a hill half naked?-- which by the way, effectively ruined my otherwise perfect day."

Alice snorted quietly, but otherwise kept quiet.

"I am sorry about that, Bella," I answered, taking her hands in my lap. "I didn't want to leave either, but I couldn't risk Charlotte and Peter coming across your scent--"

"The people we just bumped into?" she said soberly and I nodded once. "Okay, that brings me to question number two; who the hell are Charlotte and Peter?"

I sighed and pushed a hand through my hair, shaking the water from the ends. "Charlotte and Peter are friends of mine, Bella. Friends of mine from before, from my…"

"Hyde days?"

"Exactly," I said, placating Alice's sudden confusion with a wave of calm. "I've known Peter for over a hundred years, and Charlotte -his mate- for almost the same time. They visit here now and again, a sort of 'catch-up', if you will. But Peter isn't known for his self control, which is why I didn't want to risk bumping into them, as you put it, in case they hadn't exactly… fed recently."

A moment of silence passed where Bella contemplated this, her dark eyes trained on a spot near the back wall.

"…But they still live as Hyde?" she considered, "so when you say 'fed' you mean…"

Her posture turned rigid then and she stared intensely at me, shaking her head softly in denial.

"Yes," I said slowly, answering her unspoken question, "their diets differ to ours."

"Differ?!" she repeated, standing up from the couch and glancing between Alice and I. "When Peter said 'we don't feed in Forks' he meant, what, they don't kill in Forks? What-- Jasper, how are you friends with these… these murderers?!"

"Some bonds are more easily severed than others," I said simply. "Besides which, Peter and Charlotte helped me at one of the darkest points in my unlife. If it weren't for them, I may not even be here with you today."

"And Michal?" Bella snapped, her emotions dipping from anger to disbelief and back again. "What redeeming qualities does he possess?"

"Michal?" Alice interrupted softly, her aura clouded by confusion.

"The nomad you saw them traveling with," I explained, and Alice nodded once in understanding. "A man that I know nothing about," I continued to Bella, pleading her to comprehend. "I know you're upset with me, Bella. But there's honestly nothing I can do. They'll be a few days, maximum, and then they'll leave and won't be back for at least a year."

Bella seemed to hesitate at the edge of the coffee table; unsure of whether or not to keep arguing. However, after a moment she relaxed and sat down beside me again.

"Okay," she said quietly.

"Okay?"

She nodded, "I just wish they didn't have to be here."

I took her hand softly and kissed her knuckles. "I know, Bella, but I swear to you, if one of them lays even a fucking fingertip on you, I will destroy them."

She stared silently at me for a moment, her sharp, dark eyes surveying my face. "You will," she said quietly; confident and oddly calm about it all.

I smiled guiltily and stood up, pressing my lips lightly to her forehead. "Alright, I have some 'catching-up' to do. You'll be okay here with Alice?"

She smiled and Alice squealed with joy in the corner.

"We're going to have so much fun, Bella!" she gushed, taking Bella's hand in hers and heading for the stairs. "Just you see, we're going to have a makeover, talk about boys and do all those things that girls are supposed to do alone!"

Bella laughed softly and then disappeared from view, taking with her the tiny morsel of sunlight on my now dreary day. I had nine minutes left until Charlotte and Peter would show up at the house; nine more minutes of anxiety and stress. I loped out the front door, locking it firmly behind me before sauntering towards my bike. How long would it be until I could see Bella once more? How long would I have to play host to my friends from the South? I could see Bella through her window now; her dark, messy locks being combed through by Alice. The shadows of a growing nightfall began to dance across her face and she seemed now, more than ever, to be my personal seraph.

I pushed the bike away from the curb and started the engine, thanking the high heavens that it roared to life without protest. It rumbled loudly by the side walk for a moment as I gave one fleeting final glance to Bella, before skidding down the road and out of sight. The rain was easing up now, and only the wind remained to whip the hair around my face. I had seven minutes now, seven more minutes to prepare my answers to the doubtless strew of questions which would be thrust upon me. Who is she? Has she always she know who you are? What future do you have with her?

…Why are you with her?

I attempted to ignore the nagging voice in my head that told me that these were my own questions, rather than the ones that Peter would pose. I had neither the time, nor the patience, to comb through the complex workings of my mind, so I simply ignored the voices and focused on the strident tunes of one of the major innovators of the free jazz movement of the 1960s; Ornette Coleman.

By the time I pulled into the driveway at home, kicking mud against Esme's withering rose garden, I was almost a third of the way through Coleman's third album; effectively having drowned out the voice of doubt.

"Coleman's 'Free Jazz'" Edward noted, stepping aside as I moved into the garage. "Avoiding our own thoughts are we, Jasper? There must be better ways to do that than with 'I Got Rhythm'--"

"'Out of Nowhere', actually," I corrected him, shifting into park and turning the ignition off. "But then, you've always been more of a classical man yourself, Edward. Kudos for getting the correct album though; someone has been doing their homework."

He ignored the dig but followed me into the house regardless, no doubt rifling through what present thoughts I possessed.

"They're not here yet, you know; Charlotte and Peter--"

"I'd be surprised if they were," I interrupted, walking swiftly through the lobby and up the stairs. "You know they don't exactly enjoy spending quality time with the fam without me."

He nodded his agreement to that, but continued following me as I moved into my bedroom; rummaging through my available clothes for a dry change.

"Was there some other reason why you were following me?" I jibed, shrugging off my jacket.

Edward rolled his eyes and leant against the door frame, "I was looking to have a conversation, Jasper. I'm terribly sorry that my presence causes you so much grievance."

"Oh no, by all means, stay and watch me get naked," I retorted, pulling my sopping shirt over my head. "To be honest, I always thought you had a bit of a soft spot for me, Edward. It would explain the serious lack of girls over the years."

He threw one of my own shoes at me then; tearing the sole upon impact. I picked up the tattered shoe and clicked my tongue in disapproval.

"Alice is not going to be happy with you. She just bought these for me."

"Where is Alice, by the way?" Edward inquired, finally noticing the pixie's absence. "She and I were supposed to collaborate on these killings that are occurring all over Washington State. They're getting closer to Forks and we're supposed to be investigating, so to speak."

I slipped on a fresh pair of jeans and shrugged into a loose t-shirt; "I sent her to Bella's. I don't want to leave her… unprotected while Peter's other nomad is in town."

"Do you think it wise to leave Alice with her?" Edward said, concerned now.

"I-- well, I don't see why not," I replied, though his words were now causing me to envision a number of horrifying situations which involved Alice draining Bella dry.

"No, Jasper, I didn't… I only meant that perhaps it would have been more prudent to send someone like Carlisle, or myself."

I stared at him then, and I was sure that my incredulity was quite as evident on my face as it was in my thoughts.

"You think I should have sent you?" I repeated, and Edward nodded once as though it made all the sense in the world. "You?" He nodded once again. "Okay, allow me to phrase my disbelief in a statement that you can comprehend; you think that I should have sent my attractive, single brother to look after my stunningly beautiful girlfriend; a girl who, incidentally, is the only person in the universe that said brother cannot read the thoughts of?"

"Oh please, Jasper," Edward laughed, pushing a hand through his hair in an almost comically Bay-watch manner. "I have no intention of stealing away your girl--"

"But the mystery holds some attraction, Edward. It always does. Are you honestly telling me you're not the least bit intrigued by her?"

He stared at me silently for a moment, his emotions indecipherable.

"Regardless, Jasper," he continued, avoiding my eyes now. "I only meant that I have had far more time to hone my self control skills than Alice. Besides which, I would have thought you'd want Alice with us tonight. After all, it would be rather useful, not to mention sensible, to have an idea of any future changes in regards to this trio of nomads. Or were your thoughts to full of Jazz music to think of that?"

I rolled my eyes and dashed past him, slamming his shoulder with mine on the way through.

"Knock, knock, anybody home?"

I loped down the stairs just in time to see the trio stepping in through the front door; exchanging obligatory words of greeting with Esme and Carlisle.

"Jasper!" Peter cried, his arms outstretched in welcome. I mirrored his stance and he laughed deeply, embracing me roughly in his grasp. "I take it the human has been taken care of, then?" he said after a moment, entwining his fingers with Charlotte's once more.

I nodded and guided them through to the lounge room, exchanging a brief nod with Michal before taking a seat on the chaise lounge.

"I must say," Charlotte announced, sitting with Esme by the large, bay window. "I was very surprised to see you with a human, Jasper. It must have been, what, around a hundred years since you last took the company of a human female? And that was always followed by desert." Her and Peter laughed then, their brilliant scarlet eyes dancing in the evening light.

Carlisle shuffled uncomfortably in his feet for a minute; a strained smile stretched across his face.

"How rude of me," I said quickly, shifting the emotional atmosphere from awkward to curious. "I should introduce my family to you, Michal. This is my father figure, Carlisle, his wife, Esme, and my brother, Edward." They each gave Michal a courteous nod respectively. "There are three more of us; Rosalie, Emmett and Alice, but they appear to be otherwise occupied at the moment."

"Hunting," Carlisle informed, gesturing to the pile of maps where Emmett had clearly marked 'BEARS' in bright, red texta.

"It's lovely to meet you," Michal replied, his low, baritone voice laced with an Italian accent. Now that I looked at him, it was almost too easy to see that he was clearly not a local. He was attractive; even by vampire standards. His dark, ebony hair and foreign ethnicity gave him the appearance of a permanent five o'clock shadow and I was sure that as a human he must have has a deep, olive skin tone that had been bleached by the venom of his maker. "I have to admit," he continued, unfazed by my blatant appraisal of his exterior character. "I had ulterior motives coming to visit Forks with Charlotte and Peter. You see, they told me of your diet and it intrigued me, to say the least."

"Indeed," Peter affirmed, his emotions laced with sympathy. "Michal has had an unfortunate transition into his vampiric life. His creation was, well…"

"The result of a 'meal-interrupted'," Michal suggested with a dark laugh, gesturing to the ravaged wound on his neck which looked as though he had been mauled by a wolf. "I believe I was intended to be dinner, but who ever was feasting got disrupted a little early. Regardless, I haven't ever quite indulged the kill the way my companions have."

Charlotte gave a short laugh, "that's an understatement. When we came upon you, you were feeding off the dead--"

"A far cry from feeding from the living," Michal retorted; his bronzed eyes fixed on his companion.

"Fascinating," Carlisle sighed in wonder, stepping closer to inspect Michal now. "I mean no disrespect, of course, it's only… I've never come across another vampire that sustained themselves on the blood of the dead."

"It kept me sane," Michal answered with a shrug. "Just barely."

"But you never considered the blood of animals?" Carlisle continued.

"Considered and rebuffed. I was under the impression that I would… what was it, Charlotte; 'shrivel up and die'?"

"Oh please," Charlotte laughed dismissively. "I was being facetious. Besides which, I've made amends for it, have I not? I taught you how to hunt and even brought you here."

Carlisle only stared in wonder, his emotions tinged by curiosity and disbelief. "So you've been feeding on animals recently then? That would explain your fascinating eye color."

Michal nodded. "Yes, I'm afraid the combination of the blood of animals and corpses is still working its way through my system."

"Do you mind me asking when? I mean, how long have you…"

"Seven and a half years. Four of which I spent with no one but my thoughts and the corpses which I fed from. I was changed when I was nineteen."

"You're so young," Carlisle breathed, and I too, was growing astonished by this character. "I am in awe of your self control, Michal. You're willingness to abstain from human blood."

"My childhood taught me the value of human life," Michal answered ambiguously, his emotions now laced in sorrow. "I knew from the moment I figured out what I was that I would not fit the stereotypical mould of a vampire. But it was not till I learnt of your family's existence that I ever thought any semblance of life was possible in this form."

Carlisle smiled graciously, but I could only gape at Michal in utter bewilderment. How was it that this child had garnered more self control in seven years, than I had in over a century? It was impossible, but the evidence of his success filled me with hope. I had always assumed that one had to fight to abstain from human blood, but here Michal was, possessing a mere twenty six year life span and yet he had managed to refrain from such indulgences through sheer determination and the values he had upheld in his mortal life.

"Then we will help you, in any way we can," Carlisle announced; finishing the conversation that I had long since drifted from. "My family and I can teach you all that we know about this life--"

"And perhaps you can impart with us the ways in which you have achieved the level of restraint that you currently wield," I added, receiving a wave of approval from Carlisle. "Who knows, maybe you could--"

"Jasper," Edward said shortly, tilting his head only slightly towards the lobby. "Do you mind if I speak to you for a moment?"

I stared uneasily at him for a moment, unsure of what he was playing at. "Perhaps, we could finish up here first, Edward--"

"Please," he said quietly, his emotions ripe with worry.

I considered him silently for a moment longer, then excused myself from the others and moved into the lobby. Edward followed suit behind, walking past me and right out the front door.

Only when we reached the border of the woods did he stop pacing and spin to face me.

"This is not a good idea," he said quietly; his voice so soft that even I strained to hear the breathy words. "I can't hear him, Jasper. Well, I can, but its indecipherable, it's like static."

"What are you talking about?" I hissed at the same decibel, taking his arm and leading him further into the woods. "Michal? You can't hear his mind?"

"That's not it. I can hear his thoughts, but they're nothing, Jasper. It's the most frightening mind I've ever listened. It's hazy and black, like an untuned radio that occasionally emits a scream or a whisper, but I can't make it out. There's… there's nothing there."

I considered that quietly for a moment, unsettled by Edward's blatant fear. "Perhaps it's the blood," I suggested, attempting to quietly placate both his and my nerves. "As Carlisle said, we've never come across a vampire that fed on corpses to stay alive; we have no idea what that dead blood did to his mind."

Edward shook his head. "No, Jasper, there's something more to it than that. I don't trust him, I don't want him here."

"He needs our help," I retorted, thrown by Edward's refusal to offer assistance to someone who clearly needed it. "We're not inviting him into the family, Edward, only into our home, into our lifestyle. Would you not want the same thing if you were in his position?"

"How can you argue with me on this?" he spluttered in disbelief. "What about everything we've worked for here, he could destroy it! What about Bella--"

"Don't you dare try to use her in your argument," I snapped, my emotions clouded by my own fury and Edward's unconcealed bewilderment. "Regardless of what you can or cannot see in Michal's mind, he has proved that he has mastered self control, so who are we to refuse him further help? Besides which, I'm not placing Bella's life in further danger, Edward. I just won't bring her to the house when he's around. He may not even be here for long. A week, maybe more, but it's not like this is a permanent arrangement."

Edward continued shaking his head softly, his emotions clouded by mistrust. "This isn't right, Jasper, he isn't right."

"Edward--"

"I know I'm right about this, if you could just…" His eyes snapped into focus then, fixed on some unseen element in his minds eye. "Alice, I'll get Alice," he said suddenly, already moving out of the woods.

"Like hell you will," I said roughly, taking his arm and dragging him back to the clearing.

"What's the problem, Jasper? You said it yourself, Michal's mastered self control--"

"Don't turn that back on me--"

"So it shouldn't be an issue," he finished, unfazed by my anger.

"…Don't do this," I pleaded quietly, "I don't want to leave her alone."

"Then I'll take her place, Jasper. Just let me send Alice back, let her have a look into Michal's future. You know she can't get a grasp on someone she's never met, so just… just introduce them, let her see if his future seems stable, and if it is, I'll leave it alone."

I groaned softly and tore a hand through my hair, pulling out strands of blond in my haste.

"Well?" Edward said, his eyes wide and imploring.

"No," I said quietly, releasing my grip on his arm.

"Jasper! You--"

"I'm not sending you," I clarified, moving out of the woods. "If you think there's something seriously wrong with this guy, then I'll take your word for it. I'll send Alice back and I will take her place."

Edward opened his mouth to protest, but closed it once again and remained silently.

"Tell Charlotte and Peter that something came up," I instructed. "I don't care what, just make something up. Alice will be back in ten minutes, alright? In twenty minutes, I'm going to call the home phone. Make sure you pick it up and then you can tell me if Alice has seen anything suspicious in Michal's future."

Edward nodded slowly, though his emotions revealed his disappointment.

"Twenty minutes," I repeated once more, before shooting off into the woods and hoping to God that Edward's fears would be proven wrong.

Alright, so the 50+ people that wanted Michal in the story got their wish. But, as we can already see, he's clearly not the exact character he was in 'Amor Prohibido'-- which is a lot more fun for me, haha!

Next chapter will be more Bella/Jasper centric, I just needed to get this out of the way so the plot can progress.

Let me know what you think? x