Bella's POV

I was going on a date with Jasper today. I woke up excited. Wow, I woke up early too. It's seven o'clock in the morning on a Saturday. Jasper just pulls me back down on the bed with him.

"You need more sleep my Bella," he says.

"But I'm not tired anymore," I argue. "I'm ready to get dressed and see what you have planned for the day."

Jasper laughs. "If I knew you'd be this eager I would have made plans for morning activities."

Bella somewhat stubbornly gets up and starts to get ready. "I can at least get dressed and eat. I'll take my time." She smiles gently at him.

Bouncing out of bed and to the bathroom, I start the shower. The hot water feels so good this morning. In no time at all, I'm downstairs making french toast. I didn't have a time limit on how long cooking would take this morning so I take my time. Peter and Char walk-in chuckling at me and I can't bring myself to even acknowledge it.

"Good morning," I say.

"Up early this morning," Char snickers.

"Couldn't sleep anymore."

I hear the shower turn back on. Jasper must be in there.

"Whatcha makin' there little one?" Peter asks.

"French toast," I replied easily. They both sit in the bar stools at the counter and watch while I cook.

I can't wait to go on a date with Jasper. I feel my heart beating strongly in my chest. Finally, my breakfast is made and I join them at the counter after I fetch the butter and the syrup. I always get myself messy when I make french toast and I'm not sure why. I just chalk it up to my regular clumsiness. Either way, it's still one of my favorite breakfasts.

"So what do you two have planned for today?"

"We'll still be guardin' you and the Major while you're on your date so no one goes and ruins it for ya," Peter informs me.

I stop eating. "Thank you, Peter. That means a lot to me. You too Char. Jasper couldn't have better friends."

Settling back in with my food I'm surprised when Peter says, "You may need ta be remindin him of that little one."

"What do you mean Peter?" I ask calmly.

"I don't know but somethin' is gonna happen soon. He may need a reminder that we're on his side."

"Is something going to go wrong today?" I ask him, getting concerned now.

"I don't know, just you remember we're on your side ok."

"Of course," I say, but I forget the conversation almost immediately.

After breakfast, I ran up the stairs to find myself the perfect outfit for the day. I settled on my red blouse and black skirt. I braided my hair so it was out of my face and I was ready to go whenever Jasper was ready to take me.

I found Jasper in the living room reading the paper. I curled up next to him with my head on his shoulder.

"You look beautiful my Bella," he said.

"Thank you, Jasper. You always look good." I replied. I heard chuckling from the kitchen but I ignored it.

"Are you ready to go little one?" Jasper asked.

"Yes, Jasper."

"Then let's go see how far we can make it before your truck needs gas. We're spending the day in Seattle."

I drove eagerly to Seattle straining at my truck's top speed. Eventually, we arrived. I secretly thought that it was a good thing that I woke up as early as I did.

"First stop, the space needle," Jasper said. I'd never spent much time in Seattle before so I was excited to see the sights.

"Have you ever been here," I asked.

"No, my Bella, I've never been to the space needle before."

We took the elevator up as far as we could go. Then we walked upstairs so we could get to the observation deck. We were alone up there and it felt so romantic. We walked all around the observation deck enjoying the view for a long time. Then Jasper leaned his head down and kissed me. I kissed him back eagerly.

"I love you my Bella," he said.

"I love you too Jasper," I replied.

We held each other for a while before we went back down.

We were walking down the street when a man with a knife came out of an alley and threatened me and Jasper with it. Jasper moved so fast I couldn't track it but I tried to follow him. Peter appeared and held me, not letting me go to Jasper. I heard his growl and my heart broke for him. I knew he'd killed that man and there was nothing I could have done to stop it.

Jasper was back in front of me. He had blood on his chest and he looked at Peter and growled again.

"Are you calm enough not to hurt her Major?" Peter asked calmly.

"I'd never hurt her. Let her go. She's mine." Jasper growled.

"Peter, I'm safe now. Let me go," I said calmly.

As Peter released me I ran to Jasper and jumped into his arms. He caught me but something seemed off.

We all went back to the truck. I could tell our day out had been canceled. Peter drove my truck while I sat on Jasper's lap. Soon we were out of Seattle and I didn't know where we were going. Jasper wasn't speaking to me or holding me and it scared me. I watched out the window as the miles flew by.

We pulled up to a house in the middle of nowhere. We all got out and soon Char was with us too. I didn't know if she followed the truck or just knew where we were going.

"Major it's time we got you cleaned up. You go on inside. Pick something of mine out to wear while you're at it."

I looked down at myself. I was still clean thank goodness. None of the blood got on me. I watched as Jasper went in to clean up. His eyes looked cold.

"Peter I need to talk with Jasper, can I go in?" I asked carefully.

"Sure little lady," he said, but I could see sympathy in his eyes.

I could hear the shower running in one of the bathrooms. I set myself outside the door so I could talk to Jasper as soon as he came out. When it finally cut off I was nervous. What was Jasper thinking?

When he opened the door he was dressed in a green shirt and jeans. He fell to his knees in front of me. "I'm sorry my love I tried so hard but I failed. I'm not good enough for you."

"Jasper you listen to me and listen good. Your eyes were red when I met you and they're red again. That doesn't mean anything to me. You ARE good enough for me. Don't ever think you're not."

"Jasper hesitated but eventually he hugged me. I hugged him back tightly."

"You know almost all the Cullens slipped too. Just because you fell back into old habits doesn't mean anything. You can still keep the vegetarian diet. We can just try again."

"I killed a man in front of you Bella, doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"It means that you're a vampire and you slipped. You've been trying an alternative diet and you got angry when that man threatened us with a knife. If you weren't there he could have killed me, Jasper. Now stop feeling bad for protecting me you got it?"

"I don't know Bella"

Jasper's POV

How can Bella be so understanding about this? I just killed someone in front of her. I may not be safe for her to be around. What if I slip and it's her blood next time? What if I hurt my Bella? What if I couldn't stop? I'm not safe.

"Well, I do. You're gonna be ok. We're gonna be ok. Don't you dare try to leave me because I'll have Peter change me so I can follow after you."

Peter wouldn't dare change her. She's mine. My love, my mate. She's mine. And she would follow after me. I can't put her through that.

"And I would too, Major," Peter said from behind me, "So you just go ahead and listen to the lady and stop kicking yourself in the ass so hard."

"You won't put your mouth on her, she's mine!" I shouted.

"My mate, you're a stubborn one aren't you." I purred in her ear.

"I'll be as stubborn as I need to be with you Jasper, Now I'm a bit tired from all the walking around today. Where can I take a nap?"

I began walking with her to the spare bedroom. It's the one I use when I stay here. I pull her down beside me and hold her tight in my arms. I hold her till she goes to sleep and then I get up to go talk with Peter and Char.

"She's a right little spitfire when she's riled Major," Peter says as soon as he sees me.

"You can't change her Peter, she's my mate. When the time comes it'll be my venom flowing through her veins," I say defiantly.

"Then I guess you better not leave the little lady cause I'd do just what I said I'd do if I have to," Peter argues.

"Major, she loves you." Char reasoned. "She will follow you anywhere. Maybe it's time you start thinking of changing her yourself?"

And I do think of it. I imagine Bella, changed and strong, a newborn. I imagine her challenging me and fighting with me and loving me. I imagine making love to her with no more fear of hurting her. Someday soon it will be a reality. For now, I think I'll go back and nap with my mate.