I wrote this while it was snowing bitches! I'm sorry, that was rude. You're not bitches. I'm just excited. That snow was the icing on the quake. Oh god I'm so funny. Seriously though, in a couple of hours it's one year since the first earthquake I ever experianced. So odd, because I remember being woken by perfume bottles falling on my head and a roaring I thought signalled the end of the world like it was yesterday. I guess time just flies when your having fun.

Anyway, thanks for being so patient with me. I'm so pleased you guys still care for my story, even though lately it's gotten a little bit slow. Time to up the drama, I think.

Alectaria - I went in slytherin too. I knitted my own scarf. That's how nerdy I am for Harry.

Iceheart15 - I know exactly what you mean. For some reason around this point in all my stories things get really slow. I will try and remedy that for you. Thank you for your constructive critism, I'm not being sarcastic, it's really quite helpful. I wish more people would say something like that instead of "update soon."

Darkangel - Don't worry love, he's gone now. Gone for the duration of this story. Slade that is. Trigon, however, is definatly still going to remain locked up in limbo where he can't escape. But that doesn't mean he wont show up. Or does it?

Jasper Hale

As we walked outside, my mind was still back in the Warehouse with the girl who possessed power I knew not but at the same time, desperately wanted. I had never before coveted control so badly - I had assumed it would come but now I felt like it was always there and I was just too selfish to embrace it. I barely even noticed that while we had stopped walking, Raven hadn't turned to face me. I was prepared for some kind of Rosalie-esque rant that would put me in my place but not really effect me. In my experience, the greatest punishment came from myself and I had already realized I had done wrong. My self-inflicted penance would probably take the form of no more night-time visits to Raven's room (when she was awake, and with her permission) if she wanted me there at all. If not, which would be understandable, I would think of something else.

"My life was much more bearable before you came along, Jasper Hale." Raven suddenly sighed. She still wasn't looking at me, but at the inky blackness of the ocean. None of the boats near the wharf were manned, so there was nothing to illuminate her face anyway. I was confused. It was not in her nature to skate around topics - she always got straight to the point. The fact she hadn't started off by mentioning my mistake meant that perhaps the point was different from the one I had assumed.

"Really, you came into mine rather than the other way around." I pointed out, still confused. I didn't like the feeling, wasn't used to it at all. As a vampire surrounded by humans at school, the norm for me was catching onto everything several seconds before even the sharpest mortal around me did. Raven put me all off balance when I was simply used to having the upper hand.

"Trust me, it wasn't my choice." She snorted. "The point is, ever since you and your coven came into my life, my life has become..."

"Unbearable?"I offered, bouncing off her choice of words. She considered for a moment.

"No, not unbearable. I have felt unbearable and this isn't it. It would be unbearable if control of my life was important to me, but I've long come to realize I don't have any of that. I think instead my life has become like the plot of an adventure novel, one disaster after the next." She turned to me and even in the dark I could see her sharp violet eyes piercing me.

I thought of all the drama she had experienced in my presence. Being attacked in her room and knocked out by myself. Escaping captivity - twice. Once only to be attacked by new vampires. Having to bring her team in to fully escape. Being forced to help us protect Bella, a girl she didn't even like. However, that seemed all in a days work when you considered she was a superhero.

"That wouldn't really bother me either-" She said, reading my mind. "except you have also turned it into the plot of some twisted romance novel." She sighed. I sensed we were getting to the heart of what she wanted to tell me. I also sensed it wasn't going to be a simple telling off.

"You and your wife separating, that insane letter she wrote me, becoming more and more intimate with you despite not entering into any kind of social contract and now finding you at the foot of my bed watching me sleep - it's too much Jasper."

I took in what she was saying silently. I could cope with much more things happening at once than she could, after all, I was a vampire. She was mortal when it all boiled down to it, and I could see how having all these things happen to her could cause confusion. Especially since even I was confused by what we had together. Still, it felt like a punch to the gut that she wanted it all to end. We had just been getting to know each other. I was just getting used to the heat of her touch, and the softness of her skin. Now it was all going to be undone by one piece of bad judgment. I had scared her off.

"I only watched you that one time, I swear it. I didn't want to leave you when you went to sleep. I don't know what came over me." I protested. I sounded like a pervert. I sounded like a defensive teenager, rather than the calm adult I wanted to come across as. Something about the way this conversation was going made me feel desperate. I felt as if she were slipping through my fingers.

"I don't care about that, it muddles me no less than anything else you do. So I will not be your rebound from Alice. I will not be your soul-mate either. I have never been in this kind of relationship before, so naturally neither is good for me. No more late night visits. I'm telling you this now because from the look of things in that warehouse, our time is going to be taken up by another vampire anyway."

I guessed she was an old-fashioned girl after all. The kind my mother would like me to marry, if she got over the purple hair, which she never would have. The kind that doesn't meet up with boys after curfew or lose her head in romance. Virtuous and practical. Which meant that unless I was sure enough about her to defy my family and ask her to be my lover, girlfriend, whatever, openly, I would never touch her again. To do otherwise was too confusing for us both in a world which spun without warning.

"It was going to end soon anyway. Starfire likes to tell me that if you don't love it, you shouldn't buy it. She's referring to clothes shopping but it could be applied to us too. We clearly don't love each other, so it's best to cut this out before one of us gets hurt."

"No. You're right." I said, even though I didn't think she was. I knew that if she gave me time, I could love her. But I'm an old man. For a long time now, I've been tired of fighting everything. Perhaps that's the real reason Alice left me. Women always want you to fight - with them, for them. Raven wasn't, and shouldn't have to be, any different. Still I couldn't help hating myself for messing this up. I was sure that If I'd just gone to my room tonight, we wouldn't be having this conversation.

"Why are you surprised?" She smiled wanly. She was implying this couldn't have ended up any other way. That's the problem with Raven - She never has faith in herself. Or in me either it seems. "I think I'd like to be your friend still. You, at least, talk less than the others." She added, trying to joke, though her words fell flat because they came across not as if she were sharing a rare glimpse of her real self, but as if she were forcing a character.

"Sure." I replied, though I doubted it. We could be enemies or we could be lovers, but that was the extent of it so far. "We should get back inside." I noticed she was shivering. I would have put my arms around her, but as per her decision, I didn't think that would be allowed anymore. What ever we'd had, it was over. Somehow this regret tasted more bitter than the one Alice left in my mouth.

Raven Roth

By the time we got back to the tower, I was shivering from cold and feeling strangely empty from my conversation with Jasper. I'd expected to feel relieved, uplifted even. All I felt was an odd weariness about this new vampire I had to deal with. Edward and Jasper had formed a guard encircling her, as protection for the humans around. I wanted to see Jasper's face, but I had to settle for his feelings because he was turned away with me. If a tornado had emotions, Jasper's would be it. I wasn't used to being the one to hurt other people. Guilt was a burning sensation I wasn't used to. I supposed it was better than self-loathing.

"This is a... lovely place." The vampire said, flicking her auburn hair, followed by her eyes, around. Of course, like every other goddam vampire, this one was beautiful. Her hair was this warm mix of red and brown that seemed to personify Autumn. Her eyes were the same crimson as every other newborn, but it sort of looked nice on her. Of course she had a body that looked like Rosalie's and a smile like Esme's and apparently, compassion like Carlisle's. I think that was why the boys were so eager to bring her back to the tower instead of incinerate her. Maybe it was the demon coming out, but the second option seemed better to me. Vampires are just so much trouble.

I shook that thought out of my head before it took root. I knew better than anyone that no trouble was too big compared to the value of a life. I was a Titan for Azar's sake.

"I'll contact Carlisle in the morning, but for now you can stay in the tower." Edward said as we entered the living room, a knight in shinning amour. "We live in a small town called Forks, near the forest. If you're serious about being a vegetarian, then our family can help make it easy on you."

"I am serious." She insisted, sitting down on the couch. "I could never hurt a human."

I swear, she'd been repeating the same thing over and over the entire ride home. Apparently her love for humans knew no bounds, and it made me look practically bloodthirsty in comparison.

Each and every time she said it, I could feel Jasper tense up. I knew how he struggled with his thirst for blood, and her resistance must be like a slap in the face to him. It seemed like even I had more trouble with blood-lust than she did. Of course, it only happened to me when I was caught off guard, like if I were sick or in the first moments of the day - blood wasn't even a staple food for demons! I had rarely ever been close to bursting into the control room and ripping Robin into something resembling bacon strips while pouring his blood into one of my teacups. Still, whenever the urge hit, it never failed to send me reeling into a crisis of faith in my control, and myself.

And here was a newborn, a few days old, honestly protesting she couldn't fathom it.

"I'd love to go anywhere you send me. You seem kind and, I mean, I've been so lonely since I became what I am."

I wanted to gag. Tuesday was like an orphan that wanted to volunteer at the homeless shelter. Starfire's eyes were shining with tears and I could only take one optimistic Mother-Teresa around me at a time. The boys couldn't take their eyes off of her. Beastboy's eyes in particular were like saucers. I was starting to regret breaking the alliance I'd made with Jasper, because he was the only one who seemed immune to her charm. Well, I hoped he was. The thought he would succumb to them left me cold.

"I think we should all go to bed." I muttered. "Edward and Jasper can tell her more about... being a vegetarian. We all need our rest"

I was right, we did need rest. Lately we'd all been sluggish and baggy-eyed, but apparently Robin had forgotten about that for the time being.

"We can all stay up a little later." Cyborg replied within a second and Robin nodded, looking at Tuesday as if he were trying to compose the perfect poem for her in his head. I didn't think it was that the boys truely liked or trusted the girl yet - they just seemed to love staring at her. I narrowed my eyes and wondered if Starfire would be so loving towards Tuesday if she saw that. I didn't know what it was, but I had a strong reaction to this girl and it wasn't positive. Her emotions were genuine, but they seemed shallow somehow, like she hadn't thought them through or there was something wrong with her. I wanted to confirm it with Jasper, but there was no way to do that with everyone around. "Are you from Tennessee?" Beastboy suddenly blurted out. The girl flicked her head around to him, her red eyes somehow innocent in confusion.

"No, Texas orig-." She replied slowly. Before she even had the time to finish, Beastboy, almost shouting, interrupted her.

"'Cos you're the only ten I see!"

I almost choked on my saliva. The silence that followed was so awkward I yearned for my hood to cover my face. Unfortunately was too late to shove it up now. Beastboy looked horrified he'd let that slip out. Not even around Rosalie had he made such as ass out of himself, and that was saying something, because he had made a huge ass of himself around her.

"Time for bed." Cyborg said quickly, seeming to forget his desire to ogle the new girl. We all agreed and the Titans all hurried their separate ways. Beastboy ran the fastest.

I however, moved as slowly as possible. As soon as Jasper saw I wanted to talk to him, he disappeared. I would get him soon enough. I sent one more searching look at Tuesday, but this revealed nothing as she was going over the finer points of vegetarianism with Edward. I half expected her to say she couldn't possibly hurt any animal either, but she happily agreed to it like the perfect little Cullen. I wouldn't be surprised if she ended up married to another one of Edward's siblings, if he could conjure one.

Then that made me think of Jasper, which caused a lump to form in my throat, so I went to bed like the others.

While I was brushing my teeth, I began to think over the reasons I'd told Jasper we were over. First, there was the way he confused me. I didn't know much about relationships, but I'd somehow gotten the impression they were meant to be clear. I'd thought you'd have a very strong indication on if you wanted to be around someone or not, but apparently that wasn't the case. Then there was, of course, my bad luck with romance. I spat in the sink and made a quick check on Malchior's book, chained up in a chest in my closet. Just seeing it made my heart heavy with sickness and self-hatred for being so stupid. I would give anything never to feel that way again, and I thought it was better to be safe than sorry with Jasper.

On the petty and childish side, I'd split from him because I didn't want Alice's prediction to come true. I hated prophecies, and hers was the most detailed and smug I'd ever read about me since the original. I don't think I could handle owing my love life to her, if it did come true. Nor did I want to marry Jasper or leave the Titans, which had also been included in her prediction we would get together. Also on the childish side, I was scared of any new sort of relationship. It seemed that ordinary young girls were blooming with confidence when it came to dating, while I still felt wary of any contact with someone who wanted to get close to me. Whenever I thought of Alice, I felt horribly inadequate. We were similar in some ways, both being below average height and slight, but that was where it ended. Where as her skin was creamy ivory, mine was almost gray. Her short hair was edgy and cute, mine looked like I'd hacked it off myself - which I had. She was beautiful, slim and delicate like a pixie, while someone cruel might describe me as short and dumpy if I hadn't been to the gym in a few weeks. She was practiced and model-esque. I was naive and odd.

All the reasons banded together to make pretty compelling case not to carry on with whatever I'd had with Jasper. Why then, did I keep wishing for the smell of leather that inexplicably clung to him? Why did I keep finding myself staring into his wheat-colored eyes and imagining the kind of life he'd lived in Texas as a human? Why did I have a million unrelated and unproffesional questions to ask him popping up in my head? I hurled myself into bed and began to doubt my decisions. If I'd made a mistake, I knew I couldn't let him, or anyone else, see it. If we were meant to be then losing him would be bad enough. Having everyone know could only be worse.

The next morning, after a troubled sleep, I cornered Jasper in the hallway, ignoring the ringing voices of my emotions from my meditation session last night. They had screamed things as diverse as 'Tell him to fuck off' from Anger to just 'Fuck him' from Lust, and all the variations in between. If I had learned one thing in my life, it was to completely ignore my feelings. I was here about Tuesday, not my love life.

I was prepared to be aggressive about Tuesday for one reason, and that reason also started with 'T'. Terra's betrayal was always fresh in my mind, especially because all these new people inhabited the tower. It was our home, and to let the enemy in again would be the worst blow to the team. This time it could be fatal. Just because the others were blinded by beauty, as they had been with Terra, didn't mean I had to play dumb.

"Uh, what is it?" Jasper asked awkwardly. Yes, I did have him pressed against a wall, and yes, I had 'broken up' with him the night before and then spent hours worrying that had been a mistake, but I had no time for awkwardness and pleasantries. Any moment another Titan could interrupt our conversation.

"I want to ask you what you thought of Tuesday."

Dear Azar, please don't say you like her.

He breathed in as if he were trying to pull away from me, as if any of his skin brushed against me it would burn.

"She genuinely wants to feed on animals. Edward says shes unable to contemplate hurting humans."

"That doesn't tell me what you think about her. Tell me something she hasn't told us a dozen times." I insisted. I knew I was being pushy. But I needed answers. Jasper sighed.

"I'm... hesitant to trust her. Her emotions... they feel..."

"Shallow?" I offered. To me, the collective emotions of other people felt like masses of water. They could feel like deep puddles, if the person didn't feel all that much. That didn't mean they were stupid, just that they lived a simple life. For instance, the emotions of a monk of Azarath were like the trickle of a stream, while Jasper's were like a raging river. When I felt Tuesday's emotions, it was like a great lake drained of all but a few inches of water to keep the bed moist. Only the barest was there. Only the obvious. When I was around my team, there were always feelings other than those at hand. While Robin could be feeling angry at a mishap of the team's, there was always love behind it. With Tuesday, if she was feeling scared, she was just feeling scared.

Jasper seemed to become less uncomfortable with my close proximity and nodded.

"Like she's not all there." I added.

"That could mean anything." He warned. A blond curl fell over his eyes, casting a shadow which made them look hard and serious. I smelt that heady scent of leather as always and wondered where it came from. He didn't wear any leather. I wished he didn't confuse me so much. "The change from human to vampire is intense and no one on the earth properly understands it. Any number of things can go wrong. You must also remember that our powers could be malfunctioning for some reason, just as Edward's malfunction around Bella and you."

"Edward's powers don't work on me because I'm intentionally blocking everyone out. Have your powers ever malfunctioned around anyone but me?"

"No."

"Well there you have it." I hissed. "I can't keep an eye on her by myself, you have to help me."

Here I was, my calm slipping again. I felt my demonic emotions simmering just below the surface, awakened by my confused, frustrated and downright exhausted state. No matter how much I slept I still felt like I were battling to stay upright and fighting.

"Are you suggesting we become a team? I thought you made it clear last night you didn't want that."

Though his voice was even and outwardly there were no signs of rage, he was pissed. There was a storm inside him and it made me nervous. So I snorted.

"Are you angry at me Jasper?"

It seemed ridiculous. He was the one who made things so complicated by having such a crazy ex-wife, family, and idea of relationships. Perhaps that wasn't quite fair of me to think that way (especially considering the dragon ex-'boyfriend' locked in a box in my closet, my crazy biological and Titan families and my non-existent knowledge of relationships), but maybe I was so tired, that I was tired of being fair.

"No. You explained your position to me last night. I understand where you were coming from." He replied just as calmly as before. The storm raged on.

"Oh yes. I can just feel the understanding radiating off you." I said, my voice drowning in sarcasm.

"How could anyone ever be angry at you?" He asked, throwing sarcasm right back. I narrowed my eyes. So much for the mature gentleman.

"Just make sure you watch Tuesday alright? I can't do it alone."

"You seem to like being alone in everything, so why not this too?" He was clearly talking about last night. It was a conversation that hadn't left my mind once, but not one I wanted to re-hash. I was scared that if we did talk it out, I would change my mind. If I was one thing, it was decisive. At least, I had thought It was.

"Yes. I love being alone. Thanks for reminding me."

In reality I hated it, but it was what was safe. I had no choice, being the ice queen was the role chosen for me. If Jasper couldn't understand that, then we definitely couldn't be together.

"Raven, you broke up with me." He said, folding his arms. I couldn't help but stare at his muscular biceps. The tension between us was escalating and I couldn't understand it. I thought he'd been fine with it last night. But it appeared he was just as attached to me as I was to him. Either that or I had hurt his precious pride. That must be it.

"Jasper, we were never together." I sighed, as if he were a child. I cringed at myself. If I had hurt his pride, why was I trying to kick him while he was down?

"We would have been." He said stiffly.

Well, what did that mean?

"What do you mean?" I demanded, crossing my arms to match him. He was a good head taller than me, and glaring, but I took a step closer to him. If I hadn't hurt his pride, I sensed I was about to.

My heart was pumping so loud I knew he could hear it. Maybe knowing I was so nervous is what got him to finally speak.

"Look, I'm not in a position to love you."

Wonderful.

"Not with all that has happened - is still happening. But I want you. I'm not sure if I want you forever, but I know I want you now."

I stared at him, at his golden eyes and his strong jaw and neck covered with half-moon scars. If a man like him wanted me, why was I constantly saying no? Why couldn't I face the fact that by not being with him, I had already hurt myself? What more could he do to me?

In the depths of my mind my emotions started screaming answers to all those questions. Knowledge calmly stated it was because I felt I didn't deserve him. Vanity insisted he didn't deserve me. Lust said I was sexually frustrated. Fear begged me to run. Love screamed it was because I'd never taken a chance since Malchior. Bravery ordered me to kiss him.

"I think that's good enough." I muttered, unfolding my arms and moving them to his waist. I was talking to both him and bravery inside me, hoping it really was. His golden eyes widened.

The decision to cut ties with him that I'd clung to so fiercly through the night had been washed away with the clarity of daylight. I no longer felt the urge to weather this storm alone, not when I knew that it would be easier if I had his comfort. My reasoning the night before now seemed badly thought out - how could adding something good into my life worsten my fatigue? Alice was gone, why had I been worrying about her? Now, touching him seemed natural, instinctual rather than another thing to fret over.

"Really? It wasn't my most romantic speech." He admitted. I didn't want to think about any other romantic speeches he'd given, but then he kissed me, which made up for it. Not that I wanted romance. I just wanted him right now, in this moment, like he wanted me. It wasn't a gentle kiss, but then again, I wasn't in a gentle mood. Before I knew it, I'd half pushed and he'd half pulled us into the closest room available.

Knowledge and Vanity were both wrong- we deserved each other. Lust was right for once - I was sexually frustrated. Fear was gone. Love and bravery were both placated for the time being.

Tuesday Jackson

I was so scared I actually dropped the phone while punching in Susanahh's number. Of course I caught it before I hit the floor - my hand/eye co-ordination was so good now I could probably take Jordan one-on-one - but that I dropped it in the first place showed how nervous I was. I'd thought everything was going fine until I'd overheard the conversation between the short girl with purple hair and the vampire with the accent, now I felt as if I might break a sweat, despite that being physically impossible according to Braxton. As the phone rang and I waited for Susanahh to pick up, I wished for the first time that I had never become a vampire.

I loved the looks and the skills it gave me. I loved the feeling of power as I drank from a human who might have been able to kill me if I were still human. I loved that Alex was taken away from all those stupid dates he used to go on. But now the stakes were too high. If I lied to Susanahh and told her everything was fine, then she would kill me. Then again, if I told her the truth she might kill Alex. Nothing was worth the price of failure.

"Tuesday?" A voice growled. It was Susanahh, only without all the traps I'd fallen into. Now that I knew they'd been sprung on me, all I could hear was the threat and danger in her voice.

"I'm sorry, it was going so well!" I whispered, so my conversation wouldn't be overheard. "But then, I don't know what happened-"

"What do you mean it was going well?" Susanahh asked, and for the first time since being a vampire, I felt a chill.

"They all believe me." I said hurriedly. "But two of them, Raven and Jasper, they seem suspicious my feelings aren't genuine."

I waited for her to speak, hoping with every fiber of my being that Alex was okay. Maybe it was stupid to trust Susanahh that he was still alive
(I could see Alex being a problem to control) but trusting her was my only option if I wanted to get out of this okay.

"Slade tells me that this Raven can read feelings as well. How suspicious did they sound?" Susanahh said, her voice curt and business-like.

"Not very. I mean, she said my emotions were not all there or something, but I don't think they'll mention it to anyone else, they're a little busy..." I trailed off, listening to the sounds of their kissing in the room down the hall. It made me wish for Alex even more than before. Especially the way those two were arguing one minute, and then suddenly, they were kissing so passionately I thought my heart might break. Alex and me didn't even argue that much - I knew there was hope for us, if those two, who weren't even both vampire, could end up the way they were now.

"As long as Edward and Robin believe you?" She said, a question more than a statement. I felt relief. She was sounding less furious by the second.

"Oh yes." I said quickly. "They believe me."

"Good, I need you to keep that up Tuesday. Just for another day. I've decided we can't leave it to chance and wait any longer. Tomorrow I'm going to make sure that at least the Titans have to leave. That's your chance. Start a conversation with Bella, anything to get close to her when the alarm rings and the others leave. Then you pounce. If you can, just kill her and run for it. Don't stick around to drink her blood. Now Edward is fast so try and make sure he isn't in the room. Even so, I'll be waiting at the warehouse I left you at to collect you. Speed's my specialty you know."

"Okay." I said quietly.

"Oh and Tuesday, how is resisting the humans?" She had started this conversation hissing and spitting like a snake, and now she was perfectly pleasant. She scared me more than any other person.

"Fine. It's hard, but I can do it."

Actually it was much more than hard. It was the most hideous pain since the change into a vampire. Whenever one of the humans was around, I could feel my muscles straining to get at them. All I had was the strength of my mind to fight against myself. But it was worth it, for Alex. I just had to think of him.

"Good. Remember what I've told you. Don't fail me Tuesday."

"I wont."

"It's Alex's life on the line." She reminded me. Then she hung up. I put the phone in my pocket, feeling horridly sick. She was the devil. I didn't even hate these... whatever it was that lived in this tower. The humans were alright. So were the vampires. If I really had any desire to be a vegetarian vampire, and if I weren't about to be forced to kill Bella Swan, then I would join their coven in a human heartbeat.

I walked past the room containing two passionate lovers locked in an embrace, and into the kitchen where the others sat. They smiled and greeted me, and I felt comforted. If they were unaware of what was going on between Raven and Jasper, they couldn't possibly have any idea of what was going on with me.

The climax of this story is drawing near. It involves a certain someone 'returning' for a wee visit. Can you guess who it is?

I know I always ask you guys to review, but this time I'm serious. I want - no, need - to know who's still enjoying this and how to improve the story so more people can enjoy it. If the story has gone stale for you, what is it you miss? What is it you need from me? Please, I just want to please you! Even if you've got something negative to say, say it. If you never really liked the story or an aspect of it that much, tell me. Perhaps you love the story but hate me, it's disaster-magnet author!

Oh god, when I call myself a disaster-magnet I sound like Bella Swan. Except more hard-core, which I guess I can accept. Like instead of "Holy crow I tripped over on my icy drive-way and then I burnt Charlie's (I call him Charlie instead of dad because I'm SPECIAL and DIFFERENT from other girls somehow) supper" it's like "Oh fuck my house fell down, now there appears to be a snow storm. Oh and I crashed into a parked ca- WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE'S AN EXAM TODAY?"