I just know there's no escape now
once it sets it's eyes on you
but I won't run, have to stare it in the eye

Stand my ground, I won't give in
No more denying, I gotta face it ;;

The past two weeks had been very difficult. Jasper was not permitted to see Bella as freely as he had been before. Long gone were the days when her father thought highly of the older, quiet son of Doctor Cullen who had brought his daughter home to him in one piece after she'd gone missing. Jasper was not to set foot in the Swan house anymore, and he dare not show his face even close to the property. Bella was not allowed to see him, and was grounded for an undetermined amount of time. Jasper understood Charlie's concern, and he knew it was only because he loved Bella so much. He could feel it from the police chief, even as he listened outside while Charlie laid into Bella about running off with him and how if she hadn't been eighteen he would've had Jasper arrested for crossing state lines with with a minor. That last part had actually made Jasper a bit nervous, but seeing as Bella was technically an adult, and hadn't been abducted, there wasn't really anything legal that Charlie could do. To retaliate, he grounded Bella and forbade her from seeing him.

Of course, he couldn't keep them apart completely. Unbeknownst to Charlie, Jasper came to visit Bella secretly during the night, staying with her just as he'd done before they left. He would stay with her while Charlie was away at work, hiding whenever he came home so he wouldn't know he'd been there. It wasn't convenient for them, especially after all the time they'd spent together at the cabin and even before that. But it was what it was, and Jasper would endure it for her.

During the time that had to be spent apart, Jasper was coming up with strategies that could prove to be useful for the Volturi's impending visit. They had planned for this sort of thing before in the past, but they'd also had the benefit of Alice's foresight and Edward's mind-reading abilities to aid them. All they had now was Jasper's unique ability to read and manipulate emotions, but he refused to think about that. He would not let his mind wander into the realm of dwelling over his lost wife and brother. That would do no good. He had to work with what they had, and that was his power and Carlisle's knowledge of the Volturi leaders. He worked closely with his father, which was actually very beneficial in more than just planning strategies. It was bringing them closer as father and son, which was something Carlisle had always wanted with withdrawn son, and truly something that Jasper wanted as well.

The letter that they'd received had not specifically stated which members would be making the trip, but they thought they had a fair shot at guessing. Aro, no doubt, would be heading up this journey. That meant that Jane, Alec, and Renata would be in tow to guard him. The tricky part was trying to decide if the other two leaders would come along. Caius, Carlisle had believed, would probably be the least interested in this ordeal. Marcus, he thought, might show up because he wanted to make sure Aro did not get carried away with his greed. The best they could do was prepare for the worst, and that was what they did. They did not know the exact day that the group would arrive, but they knew it could be any day now. Jasper had decided it best that they come up with excuses for Bella to be at the house with them. It would keep Charlie out of the line of fire, and the Volturi all contained in one place rather than some of them at the Cullen house and some roaming Forks looking for Bella. She'd managed to buy some time away by telling Charlie she was staying with her friend Angela on the excuse that she needed to get out of the house and away from the negativity. Jasper hoped her friend would hold up her end of the plan.

Currently, he was curled up with her in the study, sharing a book with her. It was The Divine Comedy, one of his favorites. Jasper was laying across one of the over-sized, overstuffed chairs in the corner of the room with Bella laying against his chest, the book propped between them. This was his own personal copy, which was a bit tattered and worn from excessive use and the book's age. He'd read it so many times that it was easy for him to scan the pages quickly. He did not mind waiting for Bella to finish, however. It allowed him to give her kisses and gentle caresses while she read.


Bella couldn't decide if the past two weeks had gone impossibly slow or on the other hand, incredibly quickly. There were moments that it seemed to be both of the aforementioned conflicts. It was all too slow when Bella was counting the moments that she was separated from Jasper. Charlie was hardheaded when it came to his rules. While Bella was living under his roof, she had no choice but to abide by them. She accepted and understood that. Having a punishment now still was not enough to make her regret leaving in the manner in which she did with Jasper. It had been something that was crucial to the repair of their relationship, one that had been damaged due to miscommunications and outside parties interfering. With the knowledge and comfort that their bond was stronger on every level as a result of their getaway to the cabin, Bella could endure having to stay in the house a little better than she would have without that assurance.

It wasn't as if they didn't see one another. There were some nights were it was necessary for the two of them to be apart, usually due to the fact that Jasper had to hunt. With the exact date of the Volturi's arrival unknown, it was a safer bet for him to continually ensure that he was well fed. Bella knew it was going to be difficult for him enough as it was, but if he was thirsting at the time, it would have been a hundred times worse and he would certainly be more prone to lashing out. His reaction was one that Bella feared more than she ever let on to him. If he knew that she was dwelling on such a worry, it would have only cause him grief. Bella was sure of that. She saved those internal worries and fears for the times when she was alone, though sleeping was what suffered on account of it. The nights that he was away were always lonely, even though Esme would always stay in her room after Charlie had checked on her to be sure that Bella hadn't run off again.

Those weren't the only thoughts that were going through her head throughout the two weeks that had passed. Along with the thoughts of the Volturi came the thoughts of Aro's wishes. It was funny how similar they actually were to her own. Of course Aro wished for Bella to become a vampire for very different reasons than she did, but in the end, the goal was essentially the same. She was sure – or at least, she continually reminded herself – that for now, it was best for her to remain human. Being changed would involved a lot of careful planning and that would take time. Bella knew that. Once of the reasons she accepted it was for the sake of her family. She couldn't just suddenly disappear with no excuse to Renee and Charlie. That would be just as heartbreaking to them as it would be for her. After eighteen – nearly nineteen – years she owed them more than that. Even though she would be sure to find a way to have contact with both of them again, she knew at least for awhile, it would be impossible to sit with either one of them face to face.

She had become obsessed with the idea of wanting to be changed. She was silent about it though. Even when Jasper was with her at night, Bella didn't bring up the subject. He knew her thoughts on the matter already and she was well aware of his. There was no need to continually threaten the peace by arguing her point. It hadn't changed at all. She would have guessed that neither did Jasper's apprehensions about her changing as well. Thus, it was something she kept to herself. But her dreams were where she was free to have such thoughts. While she slept, her mind wandered. While much of it was negative while Jasper was missing from her bedside, on the contrary, her sleep was peaceful when he was holding her. It was there that she often viewed herself as immortal, just like him. She could never see herself clearly. Rather, the image of herself was always slightly blurred. But she could feel the difference in her dreams, the confidence that didn't exist before.

When she was in Carlisle's study with Jasper that afternoon, she tried to find some of that confidence and apply it to how she was feeling. They never knew for sure when exactly the Volturi were coming or which part of them even was, but it had to be soon. Bella hated lying to Charlie. It was never something easy to do and even though she wasn't very good at it, her deception seemed to have worked on her father. What was even worse than just lying to her dad was having Angela lie for her as well. She'd told Charlie that Angela was having problems with Ben and she was very upset and asked Bella if she could stay over for a little while. Bella had been very convincing when she spoke with her father and simply explained that he didn't understand what it meant for a relationship like the one Angela and Ben had to be on the rocks. He mumbled something that sounded like he did know on account of his daughter and someone leaving before, but because of that, he let her go. It was with an assurance that he would be calling Angela's house to check in on her, but that's where Angela agreed to cover for her. That was the great thing about the girl – she never asked questions. She just wanted to make sure Bella was okay. Ang was someone that the brunette would really miss.

Currently, her thoughts were dwelling on Dante and his travels. She paused every so often when Jasper's lips brushed against her skin and she would have to close her eyes to savor the feel of the gesture. It seemed fitting that when Carlisle interrupted them, she was reading about the ninth circle of hell that was reserved for traitors. Carlisle had knocked as Bella was reading with interest about Judecca where the sinners were enclosed entirely within ice due to their treachery, formed into strange positions. That's what should have happened to Aro. He deserved to be forever frozen in such an icy hell for what he'd been responsible for, a traitor to his kind.

"They'll be here within minutes," Carlisle said. Emmett and Rosalie both had been assigned to watch the borders to give them some sort of warning when the Volturi were near to descending. One of them must have called to inform the head of the Cullen family.

Bella's jaw clenched and all thoughts about Dante were lost as she closed the book and rose to her feet, thanking Carlisle. She fished for Jasper's hand upon standing and found his eyes, pushing down any negative emotions that were warring inside of her at the moment.

"It'll be fine," she assured him, pressing her lips to his. "Trust me." At the time though, Bella couldn't even trust herself.


If he was to spend the rest of his eternity curled up with Bella reading stories, this would have been the equivalent to heaven for a vampire. Even with the threat of the Volturi's impending arrival looming over their heads, at the present, Jasper was very calm. He knew he needed to be, for the sake of everyone else's sanity. When Jasper was stressed, it stressed everyone around him because they could feel it. The best thing he could do was remain calm. This especially applied to when he was with Bella. He did not allow the weight of his stress to pile up on her shoulders. It would have been no secret to her or anyone else that he was worried and Jasper did not deny it. Bella would know he was concerned and he'd talked to her about it, but he did not want anyone to feel it. That was just Jasper; it was the way he was.

While reaching the point in the story that was particularly brutal to sinners, their story time was interrupted by Carlisle's announcement. He tried his best to remain calm, but it was not easy. The peaceful expression on his face was marred by strain. It would be felt in the way he held her against him. There was an urge to protect her that would be ever present in the room. He did not verbally answer Carlisle, but a look of acknowledgement was given. This was no surprise. He had hoped they would have a little more time, but he was not shocked to hear the news. The Volturi's arrival was something that they all were expecting.

Jasper stood as Bella did, taking hold of her hand as she sought his out. He laced their fingers and tried to soften his expression, but it did not come easily for him. It left a bad taste in his mouth, as if the venom itself had risen in his throat and worked its way onto his taste buds, to think that Aro would be setting foot on their territory after the sins he committed. Two that were unforgivable, and ripped their family apart. The only blessing that had come from the pain was that he was able to love Bella and be what she needed. They had each other now, but at what cost? The expense of two lives that were lost far too soon and almost at the cost of their own hearts and souls. Jasper clenched his jaw and nodded. He relaxed enough to return her kiss, but as she pulled away he returned to his tense stance.

He didn't trust himself either.

Jasper kept hold of her hand and led her out of the study to join Carlisle and Esme in the main portion of the house. They would know even without Rose and Emmett's warnings that the Volturi would be approaching. He had not seen them in person before, but from what he knew, they had a presence that could span for miles. For now, he intended to let Carlisle run this show. He was the one they would listen to. Truthfully, he wasn't even sure that he could form actual words. It was all he could do to maintain his own self-control and not let his anger and rage towards the elite group of vampires show. He placed himself slightly in front of Bella, flanked behind Carlisle for the time being.

He would protect Bella. He would. He had to.


Jasper wasn't the only one trying to remain calm. Bella was making a serious attempt to do the very same, especially when she could feel tension coming from him in the way he held her hand and stood protectively in front of her when they followed Carlisle. Though the attempts were made, it seemed like both of them were struggling with it. Bella had somehow managed to toy with the idea of how wonderful it would be to never encounter the Volturi again, Aro especially. But that had been a silly, childish thought and now it was no match for the reality that was literally descending upon them.

The atmosphere changed. It was almost tangible in the room when there was a knock on the Cullen's front door. Emmett scoffed and Bella wondered if it was because he was thinking the same thing she was - it was pointless for Aro to keep up with the façade of a happy, normal house guest paying a friend a visit. That wasn't the intention meant for the journey they'd made at all. Carlisle, of course, was the one who answered. It was amazing how poised and collected the patriarch of the family could be, despite what he must have been feeling upon first coming into contact face to face with the vicious clan members that killed his son and daughter. There was no grimace on his face, no hitch in his tone as he politely opened the door for the Volturi members. There were six of them, which, surprised Bella and likely everyone else as well. Then again, none of them had been knowing what or who, aside from Aro, to expect. She had thought there would be more.

Bella remembered them all, some better than others. Caius, who didn't want her to leave Volterra alive after what had happened and made the expression of his anger and disgust known. The vicious twins, Jane and Alec, the former of whom left an extremely bitter taste in Bella's mouth when she used her power to hurt Edward. There was a woman who didn't speak, but who stood very close beside Aro, one that Bella remembered seeing in Italy doing the same. Marcus was recognized, though he was not someone who had much to say during that bitter time before. And of course, front and center with the sickly false smile that Bella never could erase from her memory, was Aro.

"Dear friend," he chimed, extending his hand to Carlisle. "How kind of you to accommodate our visitation."

Before the door had been opened, Bella let go of Jasper's hand. Her reasons for doing so were well warranted. Though she wanted to be close to him, she didn't want him to feel the direct result of the emotions that strongly overpowered her in this situation. It would be bad enough that they were not ones that could have been concealed. He didn't need the intense flood to be increased even more on her part. Aside from that, she didn't want Aro or the rest of the members to know how close the pair of them were. From past history, that seemed to be a target. If she was the reason the Volturi were there to begin with, she wouldn't make it easier for them to get what they wanted by using Jasper. Bella would die before letting that happen. For now, she stayed behind him next to Esme and kept her eyes fixated on the exchange. It was unnerving though, considering most of the eyes on the other side were looking at her. Jane's were especially piercing.

"I'm sure you must understand why we would prefer to keep this visitation short and to the point," Carlisle said.

Bella almost smiled at the change in his demeanor. He had shown a firmness that allowed the rest of them to see that he was not pleased the others were there at all, despite his cordiality.


Jasper had always held a certain amount of respect for the Volturi. He knew of their power over the vampire world and how important it was to abide by their laws. Though he had never met them face to face, he had always held them in a high regard. Maria had been terrified of them finding out what she was doing and wiping out her and her army as they'd done during the Vampire Wars in the South before. For someone like Maria to be afraid of them, Jasper had known they must have been very powerful. It was not until he became part of the Cullen family that he learned more in depth of just how powerful they were. However, there was not a shred of respect or regard left in his body for the powerful group. They disgusted him, infuriated him, and he was ashamed to be of the same species. They did not earn their respect; they bullied their kind into giving it.

The knock at the door caused Jasper to tense even more than ever. If Bella had not let go of his hand, he would have done it. If not, he probably would have crushed the bones. His fists were clenched so tightly, his already pale skin grew even more white around the knuckles. Though he had wanted very much to control his temper, Jasper simply did not think it would be possible. Not even the calm Carlisle was exuding - most likely for Jasper's benefit - could reach him. This was what he'd wanted from the beginning, wasn't it? Vengeance for Alice, Edward, and Bella. He hadn't cared if they struck him dead in the process. Standing still and being quiet was far worse than dying.

When the door opened, it was all he could do not to lunge on the spot. He could barely even see, he was so angry. They were all dark blurs at first, Jasper only being able to see the outlines of their cloaks. When Aro spoke, it was like the acidic venom from a vampire's teeth seeping through his ears. Jasper cringed and forced himself to stay rooted on the spot. Not even Carlisle's calm, but firm words brought Jasper any sort of comfort. He was glad that Carlisle was taking a curt tone with them to express that he was not pleased to see them, but it wasn't enough for Jasper. They should be fighting these despicable creatures. They killed Alice and Edward, they traumatized Bella and exposed her to things no one should have to see. How could everyone just stand there and not even acknowledge that?!

Aro's red eyes gleamed with smugness, despite the smile dancing across his lips. "And I would hope that you understand why it was imperative that we come by and ensure that our orders are being carried out. I would hate to have to take another of your coven, Carlisle, after it has already been so diminished."

The next few seconds were a blur. Jasper had not been able to take that. Not even a breath after Aro had spoken, he'd lunged.

All he could think about were Edward and Alice being killed - he could hear them, even if he hadn't been there. He could see Bella's frightened face and hear her cries. He remembered the pain, the anguish it had put not only him, but the whole family and Bella through.

It was too much. This was too much.

He'd lunged, teeth bared, with the intent to kill the Volturi leader who had taken so much from all of them. Renata had moved to shield Aro as she always did, but the Volturi leader did not even flinch. Renata was not needed. It was Jane who provided the protection from what would have been a lethal attack from Jasper. Before he could get within arm's reach, Jasper felt pain shooting through his entire body. It stopped him mid-lunge and knocked him to the floor. He snarled and hissed in pain, and slammed his fist into the floor to push himself back up onto his feet. When driven by purely rage and adrenaline, and especially to someone who had dealt with crippling pain throughout his existence, it was going to take more than Jane to stop him. He was shaky, but on his feet again. He tried to lunge, but Jane upped her use of power and caused him to drop once more.

Jasper couldn't hear Carlisle yelling for both him to stop and for Aro to call off Jane. He couldn't hear Emmett threatening to attack too. He couldn't hear anything but the sounds of Bella crying from all the pain she'd endured and emotional distress after what she'd been through. He could hear it pounding in his ears and that was what kept him down the next time Jane attacked him. He gripped the sides of his head, his fingers clenching around his hair. He didn't get up again, but Jane did not stop. The little girl simply stared maliciously at the fallen vampire, while her twin stood at her side admiring her work.


There was only a brief moment when Bella was able to process Aro's disgusting threat. He truly had no sort of remorse for his actions and what those actions did to badly hurt a family by taking the innocent lives of two of their members. To hear him threaten to take yet another was just sickening. But before Bella could even grimace at the thought of which member that could even be, Jasper was moving in a flash. Immediately, Bella's heart fell. This was what she wanted to avoid. This was the last thing she wanted to happen. All of the effort she was concentrating into remaining calm for his sake had been completely wasted when he sprang into an aggressive action.

It all happened so quickly. Bella couldn't react in the way she wanted to. If she could have, she would have been in front of Jasper before anyone could get to him, before he even had to experience a second of the pain that was being inflicted upon him by the vicious little twin. When he fell to the ground and made that terrible hiss of pain, Bella was flooded with memories. She had seen that look before. She had witnessed someone she loved undergo that very same suffering. But again, before she could even take a breath, much less a step forward, Jasper was reacting. He was on his feet, but only for a moment before he was down once more and without even looking at her, Bella could tell that Jane had increased the intensity of her power to cause such a painstaking move.

Carlisle and Emmett were faster than she was. Their voices were both heard. But like Jasper could only seem to hear hers in his head, Bella could only hear Jasper's cries. She could only fixate her panicked gaze on him. And that was when she finally was able to move.

"No!" she cried out, pushing past Esme and Emmett and dropping in front of Jasper's crumpled form.

It was difficult when the pain caused him to hold onto the sides of his head and his body couldn't seem to still, but she posed himself in front of him, stretching out as much as she could in order to shield him from Jane's power. Every single one of the Cullen's yelled out for her to stop as she did it, but Bella did no such thing. She knew what had happened in Italy. She knew that Jane's abilities had no effect on her. For once, her human nature was what was able to protect Jasper. She hadn't been able to do this in Volterra, but she wasn't going to stand by when she could have done something this time. She refused to let Jasper go through even another millisecond of unwarranted torture.

Or she would die trying.

"Stop it!" Her eyes narrowed into determined, angry slits back at Jane who met her glare with a menacing one of her own. Again, the little vicious blonde attempted to increase her gift directed now at the pair of them, but it had no effect on the brunette who was desperately shielding the wounded vampire behind her.

Aro held his hand up. "Enough, dear Jane," he said, still with the haunting smile on his face.

This was all a game to him. It was always just a game to him. But this was a twist he hadn't been expecting. It seemed as if the bold actions of the human in favor of Jasper were all very interesting to the rest of them as well. Marcus' brow furrowed, stepping closer as if in deep thought. Something very interesting indeed.

Bella's chest was heaving, the narrowing of her eyes strictly in place as she stood her ground. The only thing she did as far as moving was to reach her hand back to lay it on Jasper. From what she figured, it was his upper arm that she was touching. She didn't care if her relationship with him was made known, although in truth, it just looked like she was protecting him. She would have done the same for any member of the Cullen family, knowing that she could not be affected in the same way as they were when it came to vicious Jane's power. Of course, though, her need to protect Jasper was insurmountable. In the meantime, Carlisle and Emmett had both come to stand in between her and Jasper and the rest of the Volturi members.

"As you can imagine, tensions are quite high considering," Carlisle said with as much mustered calmness as he could bear after watching yet another of his children attacked, this time in front of his own eyes. He wouldn't stand for this. "Now to the matter of your visitation," he said insistently, waiting for Aro's progression.

"Well," Aro said, the sick smile on his pale visage spreading like ivy on a marble wall. "The matter of our visitation has all been but exemplified already," he said, his hand outstretching to motion toward Bella.

"Sweet Bella has surely been awaiting our return. Such an extraordinary being to be immune to the powers of our prestige. And still human at that. Imagine the strength of her gift once she is one of us," he said, eyeing the girl still protectively hovering near Jasper. "We are here to make arrangements for the event. I do not want this prolonged, Carlisle. We expect to be returning to Italy with one more in tow."


Jasper's reaction had been the very reason that Alice lied to him to prevent him from following her and Bella to Volterra. He would have reacted the same way and probably ended up getting killed. But to stand there and say nothing while Aro spoke as if nothing had happened at all, like it was no big deal what they'd done, was just something Jasper could not do. He couldn't hold it together, despite having tried very hard. He hadn't been ready for this, despite all the weeks of preparation. Jasper was just not in the proper state of mind to deal with the Volturi, even though he'd convinced himself that he was.

When Bella put herself between him and Jane, Jasper tried to shout for her to get back, but his voice had cracked and prevented him from saying anything coherently. The pain started to subside, and Jasper realized that Bella wasn't writhing on the floor. He didn't understand it; he just stared in disbelief. The good thing was, Jane wasn't able to look directly at him or aim her power at him with Bella in the way. What was even better was the fact that once Jane's power subsided, there was no lingering pain. It just stopped, because it was all an illusion. He was already feeling better, physically at least.

Jasper looked up to meet the gazes of the Volturi leaders. He wouldn't apologize for his actions, he just glared instead. He didn't really care anymore if any of them knew of his relationship with Bella. He'd already angered them. He glanced briefly at Bella's hand as she touched his arm, and moved quickly to take that hand within his.

"She won't be going with you," he said, his voice gruff and on the verge of erupting into another growl.

Carlisle, though not exactly thrilled with Jasper's actions, would not hesitate to back his son up. He did not care for violence in his home. "None of my children will be crossing overseas tonight. That includes Bella," he said.

"I understand that her knowing of our kind is a violation of your rules, but you must also take into consideration several other factors. For one, there are humans existing within the walls of your home who know exactly what you are." His tone was firm, yet he still held a certain poise. "I also want you to be assured that we have not taken your demands lightly. But we are still very much in mourning. Not only us, but much of the town as well. Our family is regarded very highly, and the loss of my son and daughter has affected far more than those within this home. It drew a lot of attention to the family."

As Carlisle spoke, Jasper managed to get back up to his feet and help Bella up as well. He slid his arm around her and drew her against him.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered against her hair, ignoring everything and everyone else around them for just the briefest moment, if only to acknowledge what she did for him. "I put you at risk again.. I'm so sorry. I won't lose myself again."

Carlisle kept on speaking throughout the exchange between Jasper and Bella, so as not to draw too much attention to them.

"To end Bella's human life now would only draw more suspicion to my family. I highly doubt you would want that, risking exposure. I'm sure you'll agree that properly planning out an inconspicuous way to carry out this matter would be the best course of action. There are many loose ends that need to be tied up first."

Jasper was glad that Carlisle was not mentioning the impending threat of Victoria and her newborns. Giving Aro an excuse to stick around was not something they needed to do. And fortunately, it seemed the wolves of La Push were keeping to their territory, else Caius would have been livid and on a rampage. His attention was still only on Bella. He lightly stroked her cheek.

"I'm sorry I made you see that," he said, his remorse very evident in his soft tone.


Bella let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding when Jasper finally was able to get himself together again after the intensity of the pain that had been inflicted upon him. She would have to explain to him later on that she had known that Jane's power would have no effect on him in the way it did him and that this was one of the reasons why Aro was so keen on adding her to her collection. But for now, his hand taking hers was enough assurance that they would have time later to talk about the matter. All that was important now was that he was clam enough not to repeat his previous actions.

She was listening to Carlisle until Jasper spoke, pulling her against him. In spite of everything, Bella felt her heart skip a beat when his lips moved against her hair. That was her Jasper. It didn't make a difference to her either that there was no use in hiding their relationship. Jasper's safety had been her first priority. She wasn't going to shy away from him when she was assured that he was all right.

"Don't," she whispered, shaking her head to stop him.

He had nothing to be sorry for. She wasn't the one who had been at risk – he was. It was such a surprising thing. Against a group that she should have been completely powerless against, Bella held more strength than some of those others who surrounded her now in some aspects. Because of this, her arm wrapped around his back protectively. There was nothing that could separate her from him now. If he was going to move again, she was going with him. If Jane were to viciously try to cause him harm once more, Bella wouldn't allow it.

As Carlisle continued to explain why Bella was not yet changed and why it was imperative that they wait on the occasion for the time being, she kept her focus on Jasper, especially when he drew his cool fingers against her cheek. Reaching her hand up, she gently rest it against his own to soothe him, trying to muster every relaxing feeling she could as well as intermingling the intense feelings of love she had for him. It was important that he have no question of that, especially in this situation.

"Not now," she said softly in response to his unnecessary apologies.

Again, they would have time to discuss it later and she would do everything to reassure him he had no reason to be sorry. But for now, she was worried that if they weren't on their full guard, the Volturi could strike again. Jane was glaring at them, waiting for such a chance to arise.

Aro was silent for a moment. Before he could speak, Caius was the one to break the quiet. "Absolutely not, Aro! We've traveled all this way! We're not going back without what we came for. This human isn't worth the trouble," he spat bitterly, annoyed with the lack of justice he felt was due as a result of their travels.

Aro addressed his fellow leader, but kept his red eyes forward on the Cullen clan.

"Caius, this trip was not in vain. Our dear friend has a point when it comes to our discretion. We must uphold this above all things. Surely the Cullen's are well aware of the importance of moving this process along rather quickly. After all, there are quite a few excuses that I'm sure would be plausible for sweet Bella's…. absence. I trust that you, Carlisle, will see to it that one is made to use rather soon. I daresay that our next visit will not be so cordial," he said with resolution in his tone that couldn't be tested.

"We'll keep you informed," Carlisle assured him.

"Do."

With a wave of his hand, he signaled for his coven to prepare to exit. "Until then," he said, nodding his head. "Bella," he acknowledged individually with another nod and once again, that sickening smile that haunted her nightmares.

"I so do look forward to seeing you again." His eyes drifted to Jasper then with amusement. With a flutter, he was gone, the swell of his cloak swinging behind him as the last thing visible before Carlisle made haste to close the door.

Bella stared at it as if waiting for Aro to return with his Volturi members. But it remained closed. When Esme approached the two of them, she snapped back to attention. The motherly figure was attending to Jasper, gently brushing a hand over his curls.

"Are you all right, Jasper?" she asked, concern heavy in her tone. "Bella?" she asked, brushing back her hair as well before enveloping the girl in a hug. "We'll work this all out," she said. "Don't you worry."

That would be a lot easier said than done. For all of them.


Jasper did not want to even acknowledge Aro or the others, but he could not help but bare his teeth at them again as the Volturi leader addressed them. The threat was very obvious, despite his sweet tone. It did not fool Jasper for a moment, and he knew it did not fool anyone else, either. That was one of the things that bothered him most. If Aro had just been straight forward, and stated what he really meant, it wouldn't have been so terrible. His sickeningly sweet false pretense just served to make Jasper even angrier about everything, and that resulted in him lashing out the way he did.

Once the door closed after the last of the Volturi had left, Jasper looked back to Bella and pulled her into a protective embrace against him. He eliminated all space between their bodies and locked his arms around her back. The other four vampires behaved similarly with their respective mates. Jasper still was having difficulty registering words from anyone around them. He stood still as Esme approached them and ran a hand through his hair as she assessed his state of being. He wasn't all right at all, but he gave her a small nod. It seemed to be enough, as she moved on to embrace Bella and tend to her. Jasper was loathe to let anyone touch her right now, even his own mother. But he did because she was one of the select few he did trust to care for her.

Carlisle, for as calm as he was, still felt very angry about what had just taken place in his home. He was relieved that they'd left, and were intending to give them more time. But this matter was serious and not something that could be taken lightly. He'd been wrong in his assumption that the Volturi would not act quickly. Their measurement of time, or lack their of, meant nothing. Aro was far too curious about Bella and threatened by his family to let this drag on for too long. It was only going to get worse. With the threat of the vampire army looming over them too, that would give the royal vampires an excuse to stick around and check in more frequently.

"Yes, we will work it out. We.. have much to discuss," he said quietly, in agreement with Esme. "But it will work out."

Jasper was still very much on edge. There was no physical pain, but he was still very difficult for him to stay still. "They're far too interested to let this sit for much longer." He raked a hand through his hair, and stared intently at the floor. "I need to talk to you alone."

Though he was not looking at her, it was very obvious that he was talking to Bella. Carlisle nodded in understanding, but it was also understood that they were going to have to discuss this issue as a group at some point. Jasper reached his hand out to Bella and laced their fingers gently. Though he was tense, he would never intentionally handle her that way. He would always be tender with her.

He took her back into Carlisle's study where they'd been before, and closed the door. It would not prevent the others from hearing them, but they wouldn't get to see them. It gave him some semblance of privacy. Jasper let go of her hand once he'd reached the center of the room and clenched his fists.

"I'm so sorry," he said again, shaking his head. "I cannot even begin to express how horrified I am that you were witness to any of that. Especially my behavior. Bella.. I can't even ask your forgiveness."


Even though his hand was gentle when it took hers, it didn't cause the tension that she could feel through the touch to cease. Feeling it was like reliving everything that had just happened over and over again. Seeing Jasper lunge and lash out had brought back memories of Volterra that Bella tried so desperately to bury. It was always an unsuccessful attempt. Though the figures that were trying to do the protecting were different, Bella loved both of them. It was her fault, in the heart of the matter, that either of them had ever reacted against the powerful clan from Italy in the first place. That inflicted such a guilt upon her.

This time, she had at least been able to create a different outcome. Or help to in the very least that she could. But if she was unable to help Jasper now, aide him in coping with the anger and frustration he felt now, then Bella wasn't much of an asset at all. Once they were in Carlisle's study, she gave him a few moments to himself when he let go of her hand. She could still help him even if she allowed him to vent some of his frustrations first before she spoke up. That seemed like the best way to go about things initially. She stood off to the side as he centered the room and clenched his fist so tightly that she could see the color change even with inadequate eyes in comparison to his own.

When she'd given him a few seconds, Bella approached. "That's the last apology you're allowed to say," she said, taking both of his hands and working his fists open gently with her fingers so that she could once more lace their hands together. "You don't need to ask for it, Jasper. You already have my forgiveness," she said. "I don't blame you for doing what you did."

That was true. But it was important that she also tell him how it made her feel.

"But… it was hard to see," she admitted. "I have never been so afraid for you. Not even when the newborn came to the house," she said. "I've seen what they… can do," she said, pausing and closing her eyes for a moment when a flash of Edward writhing in the same kind of excruciating manner that Jasper had done only a short time ago.

"I wasn't about to let that happen to you. Not if there was anything I could do about it."

She kept a hold on his hands as she stepped backwards, leading the two of them back to the armchair that they'd occupied earlier. It was big enough for the two of them to settle into and she sat, moving as far as she could to the side to allow him room to occupy the rest of it.

"This time, I actually could," she continued. "But that didn't mean I wasn't still afraid. I hated seeing you in that kind of pain," she admitted again, closing her eyes and shaking her head. When she opened her eyes, she immediately put her fingers to his lips to keep him from apologizing again as he started to.

"Don't," she said again before he could. "The important thing is that they're gone now. Nothing serious happened and Carlisle's plan to guy us more time worked well enough," she said. "For now, that's what we hoped for. Right?"


Bella was right, really.

The Volturi were gone - for now at least - and they had more time to sort things out. Not as much time as he would have liked, but it was enough to be grateful for. Yet, at the same time, he was just bitter about the whole thing. While things did somewhat play out the way they wanted, the threat was still there. Nothing had been resolved. They were still under the same threat, only they had just used their second chance. No doubt the next time more drastic measures would be taken. Jasper stayed very still, watching Bella as she spoke to him. He didn't know how to answer her. What he'd hoped for? Not really. Somewhat. But Jasper didn't think it was fair that they should just be thankful to be alive -relatively speaking for all of them but Bella- and not laying in a pile of ash. No one should have that type of control over others. Jasper knew it was important that their kind have laws in order to preserve their kind - he guessed, though one had to wonder if protecting the survival of demons was really a noble cause. But when that power was corrupt and used only to advantage the select few in charge, it just was sickening for him to think about.

"Right," he said, though he couldn't hide the somewhat flat tone in his voice. "But for how long? I did not realize how curious Aro was about you. I could feel it radiating off of him. He's so fascinated by you, and why you seem to be immune to his powers and to Jane's. He's too interested to just let this go for much longer. I won't let him near you, Bella. I won't. Marcus knows how I feel about you. He must. Even if he wasn't able to tell how you felt about me, he has to know that I love you. If they try to use that against us, I swear, not even Jane will keep me down."

He closed his eyes just briefly, then reopened them again slowly. They'd darkened considerably after all of that, but there was still a topaz ring around the irises.

"As if we didn't have enough trouble without them breathing down our necks. I haven't been able to devote nearly enough time to thinking about the army. I've been so focused on this. I can't imagine how many newborns she's acquired by now. Or if.." he trailed off, not wanting to finish that thought. He did not want to mention Maria's name, and if she'd managed to find Victoria by now. He shook his head, dismissing that visual.

"We have to eliminate that problem before the Volturi come back. They can't know about it, or they'll know we kept it from them before."


He was thinking out loud, mostly, and a big portion of that was to skirt around the issue of why the Volturi had been there in the first place; Bella becoming a vampire. Jasper didn't really want to talk about it while he was still so upset, but he knew they would have to eventually. Much sooner rather than later. They'd talked about it briefly once before in a much calmer setting, but Jasper still hadn't been too comfortable with it. While this was Bella's life and she had the right to do what she wanted, this was not a natural choice. Humans were not meant to become vampires. It didn't help that he detested what he was so much. Jasper would never consider Bella to be a monster, but he could also never be proud of what he was.

What Jasper told her in regard to what he felt coming from Aro, wasn't exactly something that made Bella's unease let up. It seemed that there were some advantages in being a freak. The biggest one had been shown when Jane tried to continue using her power against Jasper and was unable to affect him with Bella's interference. But that quirk was what sparked Aro's interest. It had been from the first time she'd been in Italy as well. It seemed, judging by what Jasper was saying now, that by demonstrating the fact that there was something wrong with her when it came to most vampire effects, it only caused the clan leader's interest to peak.

She also hadn't previously given thought to Marcus and the ability that she'd learned he had. Even if he was only able to feel the way that Jasper regarded Bella, it had to have been obvious – to any of them – that Bella reciprocated those feelings by the way she'd acted. It was more than just defending him. It was the way she looked at him when he apologized to her for acting out, the soft manner in which she spoke, the way she wrapped her arm around him protectively and stroked his cheek in nothing less than an affectionate manner. Yes, she would have defended any of the other Cullen's if they had been subjected to the pain of the evil twin's powers, but the after effect would have been anything but the same. There was no hiding the fact that the two of them held much deeper feelings now.

Bella was quiet as he spoke, lost in a mixture of his words and her own thoughts, most of which were negative when he pointed out hard truths. If the Volturi knew they were in love with one another, it could be used in order to achieve success on their part. Bella wouldn't have put it past Aro. Not after the sickening things she'd seen him do. Jasper would be the first thing he used against her in order to obtain what he wanted. The thought alone put a dull ache in her heart and a lump in her throat. It was impossible for her to think about something happening to Jasper.

But that was the whole thing – there was a good possibility that something would.

Negative thoughts didn't fade when he made mention of yet another problem. Silly Bella. She had been so caught up in the Volturi visit and the reason for it that she'd managed to momentarily forget about the threat that was already right on their doorstep and that had been for months. The ache in her heart doubled when she thought of yet another force acting against them. Against Jasper.

It was a mess. Everything was a mess with no positivism in sight. And no answers it seemed either. She idly traced his fingers with the tip of her index finger after pulling his palm into her lap.

"We need to eliminate that problem now then," she said softly. Time, even though for vampires seemed everlasting, was running out. "I was thinking about something," she started after a moment. "Just… hear me out, okay? You won't like this." It was fair that she warn him of that at least. He might not like her ideas, but he needed to at least hear them out and listen to the reasoning behind them.

"Before… when you had all left Forks … I had a run in with Laurent," she said. "In the meadow. He… well. It would have ended badly had Jacob not been there. And the rest of the wolves," she said, still tracing his fingers. Then her hand closed over his and she drew her eyes back up to meet Jasper's.

"They knew the dangers of bad vampires. They don't want them in Forks or anywhere near the reservation. They would fight them to make sure that didn't happen," she said, leading into her point. "They'd fight them even if it meant fighting with us. I know they would I could talk to Jake. And Sam."


Jasper felt like a bit of a failure for not paying as close attention to Victoria's cause as he should have. He'd been so wrapped up in the Volturi's arrival that he had not given as much of his focus to the newborn army. It wasn't something that could be brushed off; it was a serious ordeal. They'd already killed numerous people, and Jasper was truly surprised that the news had not reached the Volturi leaders' ears already. Victoria did not seem the calculating kind; she was wild and irrational. It shocked him that she had not been more aggressive in her tactics. It worried him, actually. It made him wonder if Maria really had found her.

Maria was much more tactful, and she'd learned how to raise an army in quiet so as not to alert the royal vampires. He wasn't going to admit it, but he wasn't sure he'd be able to defeat his sire. It wasn't due to anything emotional, or lost love. It was because he'd never been able to match Maria's skills or outsmart her. That was why he was always second in command. Had he been able to overthrow her, he would have. His thirst for power back then was strong enough.

Jasper put his thoughts of the Mexican siren to rest and listened as Bella told him bout Laurent, and werewolves. He cringed at the mention of Jacob. It was no secret that the two did not get along at all. They'd bumped heads more than once, and he did not see that changing anytime soon. They were natural enemies, and even if they did work together, that wasn't going to change. What Bella was proposing was idealistic, and not something Jasper could foresee actually happening.

"Can they differentiate between the two? I realize they saved you, Bella, but they don't exactly love us. Need I remind you that Jacob was ready to try to kill me before?" Jasper just shook his head.

"I do believe we need to make them aware of the problem, and I'm certain that Carlisle feels the same way. But we are not without our own resources. I'm certain if I tracked down my old companions, Peter and Charlotte, they would lend their aid. And Carlisle has many, many friends who most likely owe him favors. We also have our cousins in Denali. If we could avoid allowing the wolves something to hold over us for the rest of eternity, I'd prefer it."


"Yes, I think they can," she said.

It would be hard considering the ill feelings that the wolves already had against the vampires. The way things had played out between Bella and Jacob had been bad enough before as well with Edward being around. But when Jasper came into the picture, their friendship might not be salvageable. Especially with the last way that she left things between them and explained that her feelings for Jasper would never change, it was unlikely that Jacob would be open to the idea of joining forces with the Cullen's.

But there were reasons why he would. She hoped, most importantly, that their friendship was strong enough to overcome what they'd gone through in the past. Even though there were bitter ties, Jake can comforted her and made her feel like a person again when she felt as if she had no one. She would always be grateful to him for that. But she also had to be honest and in truth, her feelings differed from the nature of his own. That was hard to swallow for him and she imagined she would feel the same if the person she loved the most held feelings for another. Therefore, she could not hold it against him so much. Nonetheless, those feelings would need to be put aside for this.

"They know of the problem," she said. "But they don't know that it's gotten worse or to the extent in which it has," she said.

Meaning, Maria. But Bella refused to even mention the Spanish manipulator. "I know you'll disagree but… I actually think that if… you were with me, they would be prone to listen. You've fought armies before, Jas. You know what to do. If you're explaining to them how to kill an enemy, I think they're going to be prone to listening." She looked over at him to assess his reaction.

"Carlisle as well. Sam respects him and I know Jacob does too, even if they don't like him."

She paused for a moment to think about other possibilities of help. Briefly, she thought about how more bodies there would mean the potential for more deaths. All because of her. That was the reason that these dear friends of the family would be fighting – for a human girl they didn't even know.

"Even with the help, Jas, the wolves can't be avoided. This is close to their home as well. They'll want to protect that, even if it means uniting with an enemy in order to fight off a worse one. I think the best way to find out for sure is just to talk to them. I can do that," she said.

"That's something I feel like I can do to help considering… I won't be much help otherwise," she said, glancing down when the insecurity of being so helpless took over for a moment. "We're running out of time."


Jasper momentarily contemplated just running away with her again. He was so sick of all the trials and obstacles they were constantly having to face. It was enough to drive someone crazy, and he was wondering how they'd both managed to stay somewhat sane after everything they'd been through. Fate seemed to have been smiting them ever since his loss of control on her last birthday. Ever since then, it was one thing after another being thrown at them, causing them pain, sadness, depression, danger, and everything else he could think of. Couldn't they just get a break? They'd gotten a taste of one at Carlisle's cabin, and it had been heavenly. Right now that was sounding pretty good.

That could never happen. He wanted more than anything for Bella to be happy, and second he wanted to be able to be happy with her. If they left again, they would just be running away for the rest of their lives, however long they might be. The problem would always be there. The threat would always be looming. Jasper knew all of this, and had known it since before they left the cabin. That didn't mean he didn't still long for those blissful days with all of his being. They would have them again, he knew, but he wanted it now. He was sick of obstacles.

The topic of the wolves was something they would never agree on. Bella couldn't truly understand because she was neither vampire nor werewolf. Neither was her natural enemy - though both presented a considerable threat to her existence. Nonetheless, because she did not have that natural instinct to despise either, working together wouldn't seem like such an issue. The one thing he could agree on with the wolves was that they wouldn't want to work together either. They would just assume kill all the vampires and be done with it, good or bad. But this was something that Bella felt so strongly about, and it truly could not be ignored.

"I get what you're saying, but what makes you think they would even want to fight together? It wouldn't surprise me if one of them attacked us in the fray and blamed it on being in the heat of the moment. Not that they'd succeed, but, it's the principle of the matter," he said, speaking his mind.

"Maybe you might think they have the right to know. However, from my stand point, they don't. That won't change. Even if they do want to fight with us, I will not feel good about it, or relieved. If they decide to do so, I will allow them to watch what I have to teach the others about fighting newborns. That will be the extent of it. What Carlisle wants to do is up to him." And that.. was about as close to agreeing to it as Bella was going to get from him.

He slid his arm around her and sighed softly. "I'm sorry. I know I'm being difficult. But you have to consider the situation from all sides. If one of them was to fall at the hands of a vampire, they could all shift the blame and turn on us, blaming us for their loss and launch a war against our family. This is what I do when I form strategies, Bella. I think of every possibility before I execute anything, and weigh the outcomes. I know this is important to you, and I'm considering that, too. I think.. ultimately, the decision will come down to Carlisle."


It would have been easy for them to just run away again. They'd done it so successfully before. They had so much negatively that had separated them and yet, they were able to heal both one another and their relationship when they just took off without looking back or a second thought before leaving. Easy, maybe. But dangerous and a sure death sentence for the rest of the Cullen family. They needed Jasper and his knowledge of how to fight off the newborns in order to have any chance of success. Bella knew that. Jasper knew that. They all did. She might have been able to dream about what life was like when it was just the two of them at Carlisle's cabin, but it wasn't something that could become reality until everything was taken care of that had been looming over them. Who was to say how long that would take or if it ever would be resolved? For the meantime, it was the main focus.

It didn't seem likely that the two of them were going to agree fully on the matter of the wolves' involvement against Victoria and her army. For a moment when he spoke, Bella considered what he said about one of the wolves getting caught in the heat of the moment and killing one of the Cullen's. If that happened, there was no way she would ever be able to forgive herself. She was the one who was already responsible for so much death in this family. She was the reason there was a possibility for more. Was she welcoming it with open arms y asking the wolves to side with their enemy? There would never be a way to tell for sure unless it all played out. Bella didn't think that Jacob – even though he hated Jasper so much and attempted to attack him before – would ever be able to actually kill someone that he knew Bella loved and cared so much about. But even if she could say that about Jake, she knew she couldn't predict that and be sure when it came to the remainder of the pack.

"That wouldn't happen," she said. "They would never risk that when they would be easily overpowered by the family," she said, believing that to be true.

It was too high of a risk to kill one of the Cullen's when the rest of them would have been right there. Especially if there was strength in numbers if the family contacted their friends and relatives to assist. "It just goes back to what I said," she explained. "Uniting against a common enemy is what will allow them to fight with us. You have had the agreement and the treaty for years and it hasn't been broken. If they wanted to break that with your family, they could have done it by now. But if an outside comes in and is a threat to their land, they'll attack in order to protect it. That's why they reacted the way they did when Laurent was here," she explained.

"You aren't being difficult," she said with a sigh of her own to echo his. "It's just a difficult situation. I don't think there's going to be a right answer. It's just a question of which 'wrong' one will be the least detrimental."

Instinctively she leaned into him when he wrapped an arm around her. It was like she was drawn to the cold as opposed to repelled by it. By now, it was so familiar to her that she hardly had to think of it, even though it still caused goosebumps to lift on her arms. He had a point. He knew about war and how it worked. He knew the methods and the strategies. His word couldn't be taken lightly. But she agreed when she said it would be up to Carlisle.

"I think he reserves the right to make it." She made a silent vow to herself to talk to him about it before that decision was made, however, and express her ideas.

"I wish we were back at the cabin," she said wistfully, voicing aloud both of their previous desires to escape everything else.


Jasper could feel her sadness and worry, and wished he could take all of it from her and just give her happiness. He could, really. He had the ability to block out all of her stress, all of her sadness, all of her concerns. He could make all of that go away and fill her with a sense of calm and happiness. He could instill joy within her heart and make her forget all of this pain and suffering. It would've been very easy for him to do it, and if she asked he would do it without hesitation. But that was a side of his power that Jasper did not like to tap into, and rarely ever did. He did not like to be invasive of others' feelings, no mater how close he was to them. It was enough that he could feel everything as it was. He did not want to make Bella feel false emotions. He couldn't bring himself to do that. He just wanted to help her through it naturally. It was hard, though, when he was feeling those same worries. But at least that meant they could understand each other better, and be there for one another.

It did not take his heightened vision for him to see the goosebumps on her arms. Jasper immediately felt guilty. He wanted terribly to be warm for her, to keep her from freezing every time he held her. He contemplated pulling away to give her some relief from the cold, but with the way she leaned into him so effortlessly, he knew this was what she wanted. There was no strain in the way she turned towards him or hesitation. Jasper didn't know how she could stand it, but he was thankful. He needed her, too. Somehow, they'd make it through this. If there was a light at the end of the tunnel, it would be worth the pain and struggle through the darkness to get there. He just hoped that one day, they wouldn't have to be enduring pain and they could just enjoy each other.

"I do too, Belle," he said softly, pressing his lips to the top of her head. "I just want to take you away from all of this. But.. we'll never be away from it unless we put an end to it."

He kissed her temple, and lightly stroked her arm with his long, slender fingers. He closed his eyes momentarily and hid his face in her hair, wishing so badly that they could just disappear together, despite what he just said. Jasper didn't want to think about any of this anymore. He just wanted Bella, and to be with her.

"We'll manage. I'll find a way to make all of this work, and we'll be able to have time together as we did at the cabin, only we won't be running away."

Jasper raised his head and gently placed his free hand under her chin to turn her head up as well. He met her eyes and did not let go of her gaze. "I promise you that, Bella. I promise we'll get there."

The hand on her chin slid to lightly cup her cheek, and he leaned in to gently press his lips to hers, sealing his promise with the most tender kiss, which gradually grew deeper the more he devoted himself to this vow.


Author's Notes: Those damn Volturi! It's unfortunately not the last you'll see of them. The next chapter though is a very happy one. It's Bella's birthday. Jasper's present(s) may surprise you, but that's a good thing! :) Review and then read on to find out! Cheers!

Lyrics: Stand My Ground - Within Temptation