A/N: Hey hey peoples! Heres chapter 21...I know there will be rioting in the streets for events that transpire at the end of this chapter...even worse is I KNOW that a few of you are going to seriously hunt me down to try to shove my computer down my throat for the happenings in next chapter(I assure you though there IS method to my madness...kinda), which you lucky people will get next week! Yes I have chapter 22 almost completed, woo hoo! Only downer...their much shorter than ya'll have gotten used to. So enjoy...or dont...either way I'm all ears:)

Songs for this chapter are Broken Like an Angel-Dollybraid(There is a lengthy note attached to this song on my profile), Bittersweet-Apocalyptica, Breath-Breaking Benjamin

A note about Broken Like an Angel and Bitterweet, these two songs were the main inspiration for this entire story...it was almost two years ago when I was driving down highway 190 going to pick up my hubby at the airport when those two songs came on back to back, my thoughts were consumed of pure Bella/Jasper drama when the idea for this story began to form with those songs guiding the plot in a beautifully complex and emotional way. So if you have not listened to any other song on the playlist...I urge you to at least listen to those two.

Alright then enough of that crap...on with the story!

Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns everything Twilight and all its characters.

JPOV

Bella's body seemed to shrink in on itself at the sound of the Alice's voice grating on our eardrums. She knew, like the rest of us, that if the cyclonic sprite was here then the bastard was not far behind.

I felt the hope that had been rising in Emmett and Rosalie, who had swam closer to us watching our exchange with rapt attention, die at the sight of Bella's minimized form. Their grief however was nothing compared to the utter devastation that pierced my heart like a poisoned dagger. They had not seen the light that had been blooming in her eyes, reminiscent of chocolate covered strawberries, the scarlet and chocolate contrasting together in the most delicious ways, disappear like a flame snuffed out by a cold northern wind.

For that one brief moment Bella was that girl whose warm lips danced with mine as her fingers twisted in my hair. In those few precious seconds she was the fearless woman who uttered the words 'Bite me' with every ounce of faith she possessed as her crimson blood flowed across the crumbling pavement, painting it with her young life cut too short by the evil that blighted our world. In that fleeting glimpse, she was mine again with love shining in her eyes and trust filling her heart.

Then with one lethally cast die of fate she was gone and Edwards shell was there, wearing Bella's face, beating her heart, smelling of her unique blend of lilacs and freesias, but she wasn't my angel. Instead, she was Edward's mannequin, puppet, a soulless body with an angels face. He killed that once dazzling and lively young woman that loved without prejudice and replaced her with a scared and jaded girl. For that alone Edward deserved a slow agonizing death.

Only, now I knew that she wasn't completely lost to me, just hiding within the protective layers of her mind and even if it takes me the rest of eternity I will bring that light back into her eyes.

I glanced to the side and saw Edward emerge from the trees.

"Edward, your home early." My steely voice cut through the air leaving no doubt at my displeasure of his intrusion.

"Yes, imagine that." He replied in a cold mocking tone.

I watched as he stalked forward, his anger palpable in the air his burning gaze trained on Bella who had bowed her head unable to meet his eyes. When he made it to her side opposite me, he sat down with a look of disgust at the muddy ground beneath us.

"I felt so bad for leaving Bella alone on her last day in our home that I rushed through my business to come home to my loving mate. Though, now I see that she had plenty of distractions to keep her occupied while I was gone." He said in a sneer.

I restrained myself from growling at his claim on Bella as his mate, but just barely. She is my mate, not his. She is nothing but a plaything to him, an easily molded and manipulated toy for his pleasure.

"It is so kind of you think so Jasper, she is perfect for me is she not?" Edward commented at my thoughts as he laid his arm around Bella's shoulders and drew her close to place a kiss at her temple.

You sick, vile, sonofabitch! I may not know what you've done to her to keep her by your side but I will find out, and if you have hurt her in any way, I will not rest until you are a pile of ashes blowing in the wind.

He laughed at my thoughts truly amused by them.

"You can try to understand it Jasper but our love knows no logic."

He then turned to Bella who now was watching me with a look full of indecipherable emotions. How I wished I could feel her emotions to try to discern what she's thinking about Edwards comments.

"Bella, love, would you like to return to the house now? I brought you a surprise."

"I'm not really ready to leave yet. I wanted to get a little bit more swimming in before I have to leave. It's so beautiful and peaceful here. Besides, I can't, we had plans to stay out here for a while longer and then we were going to go back to the house and have a small cookout."

"I am sure they will not mind if you return early with me." He replied, completely ignoring Bella's voiced desires to stay.

"Edward, I can't just leave when I promised to spend the day with them."

"Yeah Eddie-boy," Emmett said as he and Rosalie walked out of the water towards us Alice close by ready pounce on Rosalie and brag about her latest find. "You can't just disappear with the guest of honor at her own break out party. That would just be rude."

"I am sure that you will get over it Emmett. Now if you will excuse us. Come along Bella." He stood and pulled her up next to him, I saw the resigned set of her shoulders and knew that she had given into his demand against her own wishes.

Before he could take a step, I was in front of him, blocking his way.

"She said she wanted to stay."

"I think if you ask her you will find she has changed her mind."

Edward's lips curved up into a half smile his emotions ricocheting against my senses. He was angry and pleased, his confidence in his control over Bella lending him nerves to stare down my silent challenge. I felt my features harden in response to his words. My muscles tensed and I clenched my fists preparing to teach the arrogant, high-handed, punk a lesson in respect, moving close enough to stand toe to toe with him.

"Jasper…" Bella whispered softly, fear evident in the meekness of her voice.

I tore my hate filled glare away from Edward to look at Bella standing beside him, their hands locked together. Her eyes pleaded for me stop, to back down. For her alone I would do anything, including bowing out when my instincts screamed to fight.

I took a few steps back, the situation far from diffused but unwillingly put on hold. Only now did the thought come into my mind that Bella didn't deserve to see me at my worst, and dealing with Edward like he needs to be dealt with would surely bring out the beast.

Bella looked up at Edward eyes guarded and void of any emotions. It was like a switch being flipped, no fear, no love, no sadness, nothing.

"Let me just go get my stuff."

Edward nodded and walked past me to the tree line while she turned back to walk the fifteen feet down the bank where her sandals, towel, and swimsuit cover-up lay forgotten in the grass.

As she moved to pass me, I grabbed her arm at the elbow stopping her in her tracks. Her empty eyes looked up at me and for a millisecond, I thought I saw that glimmer in her eyes, then just as fast it was gone, leaving me wondering if it was nothing but a trick of the light.

"You don't have to do this, Bella. You don't have to go with him. I can protect you." My voice was strained with the emotions choking me, begging her to choose me.

"Let me go, Jasper. Stop fighting for me." She lowered her eyes to the ground as she turned back to the forest.

So softly, I could have sworn it was the wind, I heard the words that would forever be ingrained on my forever-stilled heart. The words that had first lead me into her forbidden arms.

"I'm not worth it."

I watched as she walked away from me and into his arms, my heart breaking for the millionth time since she had stepped into my life. I watched as Edward's impassive face stared at me over the top of her head and felt the triumph course through him. He thought he won, he had no idea this was just a minor battle in the war over Bella's heart, and I would win the war.

Edward lifted her into his arms and just as suddenly as he had ruined our joyful afternoon, he was gone, with my heart in his arms.

The silence they left behind went unbroken for what could have been hours but actually amounted to a few meager minutes.

"Why do you guys always have to fight him like that?" Alice demanded angrily breaking the heavy silence.

Rosalie's incredulous confusion and surprise filled the atmosphere as she looked at Alice with an expression that could only be described as 'what the fuck?'.

"Did you not see that Alice? He fucking made her leave when she didn't want to! Jasper was just standing up for Bella's right to think for herself! If he hadn't have done it then I would have. Do you seriously not see anything wrong with what's been happening?"

"I see plenty wrong with what's been happening but little of it has been from Edward. You guys are sticking your noses into their relationship, where it doesn't belong. Yes, he's controlling, but you know what, Bella's not stupid or blind. She sees it and has allowed it, so who are we to say it's wrong when she allows it? You guys have been trying to sabotage their relationship ever since Jasper got a hard-on for her, and trying to break them up by making him out to be the bad guy is not exactly trusting behavior. So is it no wonder why he doesn't like her being around any of you?"

"That's not his choice to make Alice." I said darkly my already violent and unstable emotions beginning to reach the boiling point now that Bella wasn't here to force me to control the beast.

"And it's not yours either Jasper! You heard her, let her go, stop fighting for her. She doesn't want you! You have deluded yourself into thinking every time she says no it really means yes! I'm sick of watching you all make fools of yourselves because not one of you is willing to face reality. That reality is that Bella and Edward were meant to be together and Jasper threw away his only chance at happiness with me over a god damned roll in the hay!"

In the span of a hummingbird's heartbeat, I was in Alice's face yelling.

"Fuck you Alice! You're the one that's deluded, refusing to see reality. He is using her, hurting her, manipulating her! He's the one actin' like she has no other purpose but lookin' good on his arm and warmin' his bed! I fucking love her! Love her! That's the god-damned reality! You're just a bitter, jealous, selfish, bitch going along with whatever he says because I tossed you to the side like yesterdays trash."

My anger was out of control and I knew if I stuck around to hear whatever would come out of her mouth next I would not be able to stop before she was in pieces. So I left. I sped away as fast as I could as far as I could in the opposite direction of home. Deep into the wilderness where there would be no witnesses to the rage I unleashed on the undeserving trees and fauna.

Time was immeasurable as I released all of my anger, hurt, betrayal, remorse, and guilt. I drained countless animals, aware only of the blood flowing down my throat and the fur beneath my hands as I let loose the beast, the demon that dwelled beneath my thinly veiled mask. Once sated and the world regained its color rather than the red haze, I stood in a clearing of felled and splintered trees as large as a football field.

Bella's earlier words echoed through my mind as I looked at the destruction around me.

You are not that monster anymore.

If only she knew how wrong she is.

Never in a million years could I ever deserve her, to be looked at with such admiration and trust, there is nothing I could ever do that would be good enough to deserve her love. However, no matter what I've done, Edward is even less deserving than I. To take someone so beautiful, inside and out, and twist them the way he has, is unforgivable.

I thought on how a day that seemed so right could turn so wrong in such a short amount of time. We were all having a good time, lazing about in the river, enjoying the freedom that reigned in the absence of Edward's oppression. I was finally able to break down some of Bella's barriers, she was going to let me in, I know it. Then it came crashing down, and it was all gone.

While locked within my thoughts the sky had turned to black, the waxing moon large in the sky cast shadows through the forest and the stars twinkled with indifference to my suffering. The hour must be closing in towards midnight. I had missed Bella's celebratory dinner and cake.

With a heavy heart and a mind swirling with turmoil I ran home, hoping for just a glimpse of Bella's forgiving eyes before she closed them for the night.

I cleared the spanning forest with the house in sight when a wall of incredible anger and sympathy stopped me dead in my tracks. To my right I saw Rosalie pacing furiously, a rut already cut into the earth beneath her feet. On her next revolution she caught sight of me standing there frozen in panic by the indications of her emotions.

Her face softened and her shoulders sagged as she made it to my side.

"Jasper, I'm so sorry..." Her voice was choked but the anger was evident in its depths, something serious had happened.

Without a word, I raced towards the house, my mental voice screaming at me for not following Bella and Edward home to protect her. The one fucking time we leave them alone something happens. I knew Edward had hurt her that night and this was the proof.

"Wait! No! Jasper it's not what you think!"

I heard Rose shout behind me but I didn't pay any mind to her words, something had happened and my heart would be lodged in my throat until I saw for myself if my Bella was okay.

I rushed through the door ignoring the sound of it crashing against the wall. I followed the direction the voices had come from, before the sounds of my entrance startled them quiet, to the living room.

Three faces turned towards me with looks of pity, two others held smirks, but one face, the only face I had eyes for was turned down. Confusion filled me, Bella appeared to be fine physically. I ran my gaze over her a second and third time searching for anything and still came up empty. I surveyed the room, looking for clues, anything that would explain the looks on Esme, Carlisle, Rose, and Emmett's faces. Nothing was out of place besides the open bottle of Champaign and the handful of fluted glasses sitting on the table.

Bella leaned forward then to set her own glass on the table, the only one that had been emptied, beside the nearly drained bottle. That's when I saw it. The light reflected off her left hand creating the same effect as our skin in the sun. Only it wasn't her skin.

"You've got to be shittin' me."

Bella's head jerked up and she quickly tried to hide her hand beneath the other, but it was too late. Her eyes met mine and there in the swirling depths was nothing.

"Jasper," Edward said gaining my attention as he pulled Bella's hand out from hiding, displaying the hideous mark of conquest on her finger, "We are so pleased you made it back in time to toast our engagement before Bella had to go to bed without your congratulations."

A growl emerged unchecked from my chest.

My eyes then turned to meet Bella's once more. I allowed all the unbridled anger and betrayal, jealousy and resentment to show through my eyes. I wanted her to know all the pain I felt, I wanted her to see that she had finally broken me. She finally succeeded in chasing me away.

"Congratulations. Have a nice fucking life." I spat, the disgust dripping from my voice like toxic ooze poisoning the room.

I turned, brushing past Rosalie and left through very door I entered only moments ago.