Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. I do own my OCs, this storyline, and a "Mom" Disney World coffee mug that I use EVERY DAY.

A/N: Thanks to be most beta-tastic girl in the world, readingtime. I heard The Oak Room got new waiters. We must investigate. There are two theme songs, one for each of my guys. Edward's theme song this chapter is Crash Into Me by the Dave Matthews Band. Jasper's theme song is Come Back To Me by David Cook. (Did anybody think of Jasper when Kris Allen sang Ain't No Sunshine on American Idol last week? Just curious...)

Reading selection for this is Place Your Bets by KatieBelleCullen and vanillabeans. All human. Edward is a player who makes a bet with Emmett that he can stay abstinent for 40 days. Bella, quite the little minx in this story, is the new kid in town and has set her sights on Edward. Hilarity, romance, and smut abound! My only complaint with this story is that it has been a month since they updated. When you read and fall in love with it, too, tell them Miss Lillie says to quit being so willy-nilly about the updates!

Edward's POV

Maybe it's just because I know what he's been up to, but he suddenly seems like he's got...swagger. I chuckled to myself on our way home over that one. I couldn't help but wonder what exactly he heard from Bella or Alice to make him think that. I wouldn't ask her, though. Adrian would feel terrible if he realized he'd broken Bella's confidence with a stray thought. He was right, though. I did have a bit of a spring in my step the past couple of days that wasn't there before.

Bella was still out of it when I carried her inside, but she wouldn't have been comfortable sleeping in her blue jeans and hooded sweatshirt, so I woke her up gently and helped her sit on the edge of the bed while I retrieved her pajamas from the drawer. I picked her out a pink satin pajama set from the top of the pile and handed it to her. Bella looked at them with an odd expression that I didn't understand. Without a word, she put them back in the drawer and pulled out a dark blue set instead and disappeared into the bathroom. I listened to the familiar evening concert of noises as she went through her routine and smiled when I heard the sound of her hairbrush being set back on the counter. The noise that always signaled Bella was coming back to me.

Bella gave me a soft smile but her mind seemed far away as she crawled into bed. I went to kiss her forehead and tell her goodnight when she caught my hand. "Would you lay with me? Can we talk for a while?"

"Of course," I said as I crawled under the covers with her. We were each laying on our sides facing each other. "What would you like to talk about?"

"Edward, do you think that I…strung you along after Jasper and I got together?" I wasn't quite sure how to answer that, so I decided to get some more information first.

"What brought this on?"

"Something Adrian said to me tonight that just really got me to thinking. Do you?" Bella asked again.

"Bella," I began, scooting a little closer to her so I could brush her hair out of her face, "you have frequently given me reason to hope that there was a chance for us to be reunited one day. You have given me glimmers where I thought I still saw love in your eyes for me. But I have never considered it leading me on." I scooted a little closer still, and caressed her cheekbone as I cupped the back of her head in my hand. "It's only stringing me along if I don't stand a chance." I closed the last of the distance between us. I could feel the electricity surging between us as I touched my forehead to hers, our eyes locked as I whispered to her, "Do I have a chance, Bella?"

"Yes," she whispered back, her soft voice so full of passion and promise. Some floodgate inside of me burst open, no longer willing to be contained. I kissed her then, with more force then I ever had before. I started to pull back, frightened I'd hurt her, but her lips chased my own and she pulled my shirt, willing me to come back. I kissed her again, slightly gentler but with no less enthusiasm, my hand moving from her neck to her hip as I leaned into her, pressing her back into the mattress as I hovered over her. I licked her lip and she immediately opened her mouth to me with a sigh. I deepened the kiss, still in awe of the feeling of it, of being able to truly kiss my Bella this way. It was miraculous to me.

Bella's hands were running up and down the planes of my chest, finally stopping to grab the bottom hem of my t-shirt, tugging it up. I broke the kiss long enough to reach behind me and pull the shirt off, and crushed her lips with my own once more. Bella ran her hands over every bit of skin she could find, my chest, my shoulders, my back. It was heavenly. Her hands were so warm, even warmer than usual, and the way she caressed areas of my body that had never been touched that way was like nothing I had ever felt before. Her fingertips grazed over my nipples, and I moaned into her mouth.

Bella realized that my hand was staying still. I was rubbing her hipbone with my thumb, but was not moving my hand otherwise. I was afraid of hurting her, afraid of repeating Buffalo. I would never forgive myself for bruising her body that way. Bella broke the kiss and looked at me intensely for just a moment before moving her hands to the buttons on her pajama top. I watched, frozen in fear and fascination as she slowly undid each button one by one until the sides fell slightly apart as she undid the last one. I could see the valley between her breasts and the beginnings of the curves under her soft flesh. I looked in Bella's eyes and she knew. She reached down and took my hand from her hip and placed it flat on her stomach. I closed my eyes and felt the skin there, so soft and warm, quivering slightly beneath me. My index finger hovered over her belly button and I allowed my finger to dip inside it, swirling a circle around its perimeter. Bella giggled softly. As she slowly, carefully moved my hand up her torso, I prayed to whatever god would listen that they allow me this, that I be able to do this and not hurt her. I needed to be able to show her that I could do this. But this wasn't really about proving anything. It was pure desire. I needed her. Needed this. Needed us. And right now, in this moment, it seemed as though she needed those things too.

Bella had brought my hand directly over her breast, pushing her shirt back on that side as she did. She let go of me and put her hand on her own hip. I could feel her eyes watching me as I stared at the sight before me. I ran my thumb up the side of her breast as I gently cupped and squeezed the flesh. It felt as though it were made to fit perfectly in my hand. I felt her nipple harden against the palm of my hand and I turned my hand so I could see it without releasing the weight of her breast in my hand. I ran my thumb over her peak slowly, and felt it pebble against me. I stared with rapt enthrallment as it swelled and turned a darker pink under my ministrations. I was such a fool to deny us this for so long, to consider myself too weak to control my strength. I looked back at Bella. She was smiling a sweet smile, almost as if she were proud of me, but her eyes told a different story. They were hooded and brimming with lust.

Bella pushed my shoulder and I let her lead me so I was laying on my back, and she sat up, straddling my waist. My hands slid up her chest again, this time of their own volition to palm and squeeze her breasts as she removed her top. I hissed with a sharp inhale of breath as I stared at the singular beauty in front of me. Her hair cascading in soft waves over her porcelain shoulders, the moonlight from the window making her skin shimmer. She lowered her body to mine and I wrapped my hands around her back as I felt her naked breasts press up against my chest.

"Bella…" The new position pressed her pelvic bone directly into my already aching erection and my hips met her with equal force. She pivoted her hips into a semi-circle once and I grunted from the pleasure of it.

She began kissing my neck, working her way from my Adam's apple to my ear, biting my earlobe and sending delicious shivers throughout my body, running a trail from my ear to my groin, down to my toes.

I flipped us over and kissed her again. She sucked my lower lip into her mouth as her hands grabbed fists full of hair and pulled me even closer. I'd once compared the hunt to a shark's feeding frenzy. This was much the same. Coherent thought left me, there was nothing there but instinct and passion and need.

I began assaulting Bella's neck and collar with kisses. I kissed the top of her breast. My body wanted, craved her nipple in my mouth, but there was still an ounce of fear inside me. As if she could read my mind, she whispered to me.

"Edward…please…I need the same things you do. You can do it, you can. Trust yourself." I swallowed hard and kissed her peak chastely before wrapping my lips around my teeth and gently sucked her into my mouth. We both moaned in pleasure as I swirled my tongue around her nipple in small circles. Bella arched her back and pushed into me slightly, her hands gripping the sheets. I moved to the other side and did the same thing, intoxicated by the reactions it produced in Bella. She pulled me back up and once more pushed me on my back, this time laying on her side next to me.

Bella began kissing me again, and I wrapped her hair in my hands and kissed her back, never wanting this feeling to end. Her hand trailed down my stomach, her fingers sliding to the button on my jeans. Without thinking, my hand shot from her hair to stop her. She just swatted at my hand, whispering soothing sounds against my lips. I hesitated. She held her hand still, kissing and licking my jawline until she made her way back to my ear.

"Let me do this for you," she murmured.

My voice came out shaking. "I'm scared."

"I know. Trust me." I closed my eyes and moved my hand away. She finished unbuttoning the button and unzipped the zipper, kissing me languidly as she reached under the elastic of my boxers and took me into her hand.

"God…Bella…" My entire body stiffened when she wrapped her fingers around me firmly.

"Relax, Edward," she cooed and I forced myself to take a breath. Slowly, she explored my length with her hand, still hidden within the confines of my clothing. She ran her thumb over the head and my erection jerked in her hand, my hips thrust upward. I held her wrist to stop her and she waited, continuing to blaze a trail of kisses across my chest until I let go. She was patient and attentive, stopping when I needed her to stop, moving again when I thought I could handle the sensation.

Eventually, she paused to push down my jeans and boxers, only using her hands until they were down enough for her to catch them with her foot, shoving them down to my ankles. She returned to stroking me and I grabbed the sheet with one hand but allowed my other hand to trace up and down her spine. She sped up, her hand now at a better angle to do so. She kissed lower and lower as she stroked me, taking my nipple into her mouth, licking and teasing it before biting me, causing my body to buck once more. She chuckled gleefully against my skin and she grabbed me harder and sped up. Every couple of strokes, she would swipe her pinky across my ball sac as she reached the base. It only took a couple of times of that before I started to feel the tightening and throbbing that I now recognized as warning of an impending orgasm.

"Oh Bella…it feels so…I'm going to…Baby, is it okay if I…" I bit my lower lip, my inexperience overwhelming me almost as much as the intense feelings.

"It won't hurt me, Edward. Let go. I want to see you let go." My hand that was on her spine drifted lower, grabbing her butt cheek through her pajama bottoms as my climax erupted within me and I moaned her name once more. I felt the cool liquid fall on my abdomen in spurts. Some part of me felt as though I should be embarrassed or ashamed, but I couldn't be. Bella slowed down her movements until I was completely spent, and then stopped, bringing her hand up to rest on my chest as she began kissing me again, this time soft and tender.

I took her face in my hands and pulled her back so I could look into the chocolate eyes of my angel. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

Bella chuckled at me. "No, silly, you didn't hurt me at all. Wait here, let me get a washcloth." I laced my fingers behind my head and basked in the pure and utter bliss of the moment. Bella returned a moment later with a hot, damp washcloth and carefully cleaned me up and dried me off. I smiled at her gratefully and hoped she knew it was for far more than just cleaning me off.

"You know," she teased as she tossed the towels in the sink and sauntered back to bed, "that sounded even better with you in the same room." The smirk on her face was the polar opposite of the shock on mine. I grabbed her by the waist and flung her over me and back on the bed, pinning her beneath me.

"Yes, well, I quite enjoyed the sounds of you moaning my name the other night as well, although I can't help but wonder how much better it would sound without that awful buzzing noise in the background." Bella turned eight shades of red and reached behind her to grab the pillow under her head and smacked me with it. I just laughed and kissed her nose. She pouted playfully at me for a moment, but grew serious again. She put her hand on my cheek and lifted her head to kiss me chastely before laying it back down. "Tonight was about you, I was able to bring you pleasure tonight, and this time I got to see you in ecstasy. That's more than enough for me. The important thing is that you see now that you can be in the throes of passion and still be strong enough not to hurt me." I nodded at her in hesitant agreement. I hadn't hurt her. I just hoped that if we were ever in this place again, that I could pleasure her as well with the same result.

"Bella, can I stay? Can I hold you tonight? Like this?" I motioned at our bodies, myself totally nude, Bella topless. She nodded at me and I sat up so she could turn on her side. I slid in behind her, our legs intermingling, her bare back tantalizingly pressed against my chest as I wrapped my arms around her and placed a string of light kisses along her shoulder and the nape of her neck. She hummed contentedly. My hands found their way to her breasts, holding and caressing them lightly. Now that I knew I could touch them, I found myself not ever wanting to stop. Bella laughed softly.

"I think I've created a monster," she teased.

"You have no idea," I mumbled against her skin, kissing the soft skin between her shoulder blades.

"Tomorrow, baby. The human needs to sleep."

"Mmmm…I love it when you call me baby," I whispered in her ear before tracing the shell with my tongue. I was already erect again, and Bella pressed back against me, making me even harder. "Please…just a little more…" Bella turned her head to look at me and gave me a quick kiss.

"Edward, please understand. I'm not ready for much more than this right now. Please." The irony of the situation was not beyond me. How many times had she begged me for more and I made her stop. I stopped fondling her breasts, but I wasn't moving my hands unless she made me. Even just the movement of her breaths with me holding her like this was so erotic to me.

With a defeated sigh, I placed one more kiss on her shoulder and laid down. "Alright, my Bella. Goodnight, beautiful. Sweet dreams."

"Goodnight, Edward." Bella closed her eyes and snuggled against me. I growled lowly at the friction she caused and she giggled. Figuring turnabout was fair play, I began nonchalantly playing with one of her nipples between my fingers and she stopped squirming, growling back at me. I chuckled and stopped before she went the whole night without sleep.

"Bella?"

"Yes, Edward?"

"I love you." I knew that even if she said it back, it didn't mean forever. But here, in each other's arms this way for the first time, I couldn't help but feel that it would mean something more than it meant before. I needed to hear it. To know that I really did stand a chance.

"I love you, too."

Jasper's POV

Between Bella disappearing for a week, then breaking up with me, then the whole Kelly revelation, I was about at my wit's end. I was shot. I sat on my bed with an antique wooden box in my lap. How long had I sat here? Hours? Days? I opened the box and stared at the pile of yellowed parchment paper inside, tied together with a dusty black satin ribbon. I untied the bow and picked up the top piece of paper.

My Dearest Mother,

Please forgive me. I know you did not approve of me entering the war. I know especially that you did not approve of the illegitimate manner in which I did so. I hope and pray that you find it in your heart to forgive me. I did it to ensure the safety of our family in these trying times and to ensure a desirable future for Amelia and me. When I return, I intend to ask her father for her hand. In the meantime, I trust that you will keep her under your wing and not let her be too sad.

Know that I love you with all my heart, and that I will do all in my power to make you proud and to come home to you soon. Send my love to my dear sister for me.

Your loving son,
Pvt. Jasper Whitlock

I couldn't believe it. Kelly was my niece. Technically, she was my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-niece, but that was beside the point. She was family. She was blood. I had done Emmett's genealogy for him, and Alice's too after she learned about her roots. No one else in the family had wanted to explore what had happened to their families after their deaths. The thought was too painful, and even with my love of history, I couldn't help but agree. Better to move on.

I don't know how I hadn't seen it before. Kelly had my mother's eyes. Her facial structure was similar to my own. She was from Texas. All the pieces fell into place with a crash.

Kelly was of course fascinated that she had someone in her ancestry with the same first name as me. Luckily, I was using Hale at school instead of Whitlock. That would have opened a Pandora's box that I wasn't sure I could close.

I wasn't focused at my own name on the page. I was focused on Amelia's. She was the girl. The girl with the parasol from the hazy pictures in my memory. We were going to be married, but I left to go to war. What a fool I was. I flipped through the stack of letters until I found one that was not in my handwriting, but hers.

Dear Mother Whitlock,

I know it is improper of me to still call you that, seeing as your son and I were never formally bound by marriage, but we were bound by love, and he will always hold a special place in my heart, as do you. I am sure you have heard by now that I am bequeathed to another. He is a fine man. He does not try and take Jasper's place. He knows that there is a part of me that died with your son, and a part of Jasper that lives on in my heart. He has accepted that, and is willing to share me with a ghost and take what love and affection I can offer him. In fact, he has even agreed to allow me to name our child after Jasper, should we be blessed with a son one day. I know that he will provide for me. I cannot be a burden to my parents any longer. They have watched me mourn long enough.

I pray that all finds you well, and that we can keep in touch through the years.

Yours always,
Amelia Brown

"Jasper?" Alice knocked on the door, then opened it a crack and peeked her head in. "Can I come in?" I nodded and she sat down on the bed next to me.

Alice gently extracted the letters from my hands and reading the top one. "Wow…pretty cool."

"Did you know?" I asked her. I wasn't angry, just curious.

"I had seen snippets, you going through the boxes of stuff, finding a lace handkerchief, a white glove, and the box of letters. I knew they were significant, I just wasn't sure how. So Kelly's your niece. She had a crush on you too, that's kind of weird now. At least you didn't sleep with her, that would have been disturbing," Alice teased. I glowered at her.

"Not helpful, Alice."

"What's the big deal? I mean, there's nothing here to make her suspect that you and Jasper Whitlock are one and the same, so what's the harm? All that happened was that you learned a little more about your own history, and you found out that at least one of your descendants is a happy, well-adjusted person." Alice shrugged her shoulders and hopped off the bed.

"Now come on! I've already had a vision of Heidi and Felix getting on the plane. They'll be here by tomorrow. Therefore, we are all going to go to the game, watch my man win, then live it up tonight. Go change. If you sat there any longer, you'd have moss growing on you." Alice skipped out the door and closed it behind her to get ready.

I carefully returned everything to its rightful place and put the box on the dresser, where Bella's magnolia box used to sit. Bella. I hadn't seen or heard from her since that day at the lake. I was certain she had heard my messages. What must she have thought? She would have thought you were a crazed lunatic, that's what. I had to swallow my pride and my jealousy and apologize for being such a dick, because acting that way was certainly not going to persuade her to come back to me. I promised her I would be what she needed right now, while she sorted herself out. I would be her friend, and that's what I intended to do. Starting today.

Alice and I walked side by side from the car to the stadium, and it wasn't long before we ran into Bella and Edward. Edward had his hand low on her hip in a very intimate fashion as they chatted with Kelly. Alice took my hand and squeezed it, hard, before releasing me. It was a clear warning to chill out.

"Hey guys!" Alice said cheerfully as she hugged everyone hello. Bella looked at me hesitantly and I smiled my best smile at her. She relaxed a little and smiled back.

I made sure that Kelly wasn't looking our way and mouthed "I'm sorry" to her. She nodded her head and mouthed "Me too." Well, it was something. I shook Edward's hand and took a chance at hugging Kelly and Bella in greeting. Kelly was surprised at my rare show of affection, but hugged me back with a chuckle. Bella accepted my hug warmly, and I was thankful for it. I took a quick, deep breath, inhaling her scent before releasing her. Everyone pretended not to notice.

We made some small talk, and then said goodbye to make our way to our seats. Edward and Bella stopped in line at the concession stand for some hot chocolate, so Alice and I went and sat down, Alice taking the seat where Bella used to sit.

"You're doing good, just relax. This is the last day for dress rehearsals, Jasper. Tomorrow begins the real performance," Alice reminded me. She didn't scream Adrian's name when he entered the field the way she normally did, but her eyes never left him just the same.

Bella and Edward took their seats a moment later, with Bella between Alice and Edward. We all watched the game intently until half time. Edward got Bella another hot chocolate and Bella started talking to Alice.

"So, Alice, I was thinking…do you want to come with me to England over Christmas break?" Bella smiled at her over the Styrofoam mug. She had put up that calm façade again, so I couldn't read her emotions, but something seemed a little odd in her expression. Maybe it was the twinkle in her eyes.

"Really?! I'd love to!" Alice hopped up and down in her seat excitedly. "We are going to have so much fun!"

"I'm sure we will," Bella said. The game started and recaptured our attention, and OSU won again. We cheered and waited until the teammates exited the field before making our departure.

"So, our friends should be here tomorrow. I was thinking we'd have a last hurrah before they get here and go to Destine tonight? What'dya think?"

Everyone agreed that it sounded like a great idea, although I think Alice was the only one who actually thought it was. Nevertheless, three hours later, we found ourselves on the dance floor of the club. Bella was determined to have fun, dancing with each of us in turn, even Alice. It was painfully difficult to not press her body to mine, but just dance the way old friends would, but I did it because it made her happy.

Edward, on the other hand, was fully enjoying dancing with her, his hands running up and down her sides, his head buried in her hair. He wasn't doing anything vulgar or inappropriate. It was just the way they looked so completely comfortable together that made it seem so intimate. It hurt. A lot. But I found that I was able to watch without turning away or breaking something in rage. Considering that our guests were arriving shortly, I begrudgingly admitted that it was a good thing.

"So, Alice, let me ask you something…this two week practice run, was it so that they would get used to being comfortable together, or was it so I could get used to seeing it?" Alice looked at me knowingly.

"Why do you ask me questions you already know the answer to, Jazz?" Alice asked tenderly.

When the song was over, Bella kissed Adrian, Alice and myself all on the cheek and said goodnight before she and Edward headed home. We left shortly thereafter, and I said goodnight to Alice and Adrian as they headed for his dorm and I headed for home. I just laid on the bed listening to music until the morning light started forcing its way through the curtains. My cell phone buzzed. It was a text message from Edward.

They're here.

Edward's POV

Bella was exhausted when we got home from the club, and as much as I wanted a repeat of last night before we were under the watchful eye of the Volturi, I knew she needed her rest. Still, she didn't complain when I crawled in bed and pulled her to me, kissing and groping her a little before we got settled in and she fell asleep. I was glad that Jasper had no hateful thoughts towards us tonight when we were dancing. I made certain that I was the perfect gentleman while we were dancing. If anything, our dancing was much less intimate than the last time we were at the club and Bella was dancing between Jasper and me. But he was right, we were much more comfortable with each other now, and it was obvious to everyone in the room.

She slept soundly, and for the second night in a row she had no nightmares and the only name she spoke in her sleep was mine. I was thankful for that. If the Volturi heard her mutter Jasper's name in her sleep, we would have a lot of explaining to do. It felt like we were on one of those horrid reality shows, only this time if you lost, you died. I wondered just how closely they were going to be observing us. I was uncomfortable with the idea of them being around us 24/7, especially if things progressed the way they had been. I know that my family had no problems being intimate within hearing range of the rest of us, but I don't think I could do that. Especially when the vampire in hearing range wasn't even family.

It was shortly before daybreak when I got Alice's text message.

They're on their way to your house. Let Jasper know when they show up. I'm heading home shortly.

I let Bella sleep. If she was awake and waiting for them before dawn, they might get suspicious. Plus, she was tired. I left a note on my pillow telling her they would be there when she woke up so she would know not to come out in her pajamas.

I opened the door when I heard the car pull up. Heidi and Felix, looking like they'd just stepped off the runway. Felix, with his black hair, black sunglasses, black jacket, Italian leather shoes, gold chain, cocky smirk. He struck me as such a player as he hopped out of the driver's seat of a red Lamborghini.

"Ciao, Edward! It's been too long, eh?" He smiled at me like we were childhood buddies. I extended my hand but he pulled me into a manly hug instead. "How are you, my old friend?"

"I am well, Felix, and you?"

"I am liking America already. The women here are magnificent! So many flavors to choose from!" He kissed his fingertips and thrust them in the air. A quick glance to his thoughts showed he had seduced a woman into a restroom at the airport and drained her dry. At least she looked like she had died happy.

"Felix, while you are here, I would appreciate if you would keep a low profile. Bella and I rather like it here and don't need any added attention, if you know what I mean. If you like, I'd even be willing to take you hunting with me." Felix wrinkled his nose in distaste.

"We'll see. But I will make sure you don't end up on the six o'clock news, okay?"

Heidi had gotten out of the passenger seat and walked around to us, kissing me on both cheeks cordially. She was a beautiful woman, there wasn't a man in the world who would think otherwise. Tall, statuesque. She wore a leather skirt that went to mid-thigh, with black stockings, stiletto heels, and a dark purple billowing blouse that showed her ample cleavage. The top matched nicely with her violet eyes, the result of blue contacts over the red. Not my type, but beautiful nonetheless.

"Ciao, Edward. I trust all is well with you."

"It is. Bella's still sleeping, so I'd ask that you be quiet when you come in, but please, make yourselves at home."

They feigned surprise at what they'd already determined. "Bella's sleeping? You mean, she's still…human?"

A/N: The Cullendales have made their way to Edmonton, Canada to put on a show for all my lovely fans in that neck of the woods. Seriously though guys, I can't remember the last time I have been so nervous about posting a chapter as I was about posting this one, and I REALLY want to know what you think. Much love and chocolate adonis statues!