I Followed Her, and She Led Me to You

Chapter 15

Bella POV

My birthday had turned out to be rather fun in the end. Jasper stayed with me for the whole night and we shared a kiss (a really intense kiss, but still a kiss) at midnight and cuddled the whole night. Then Jasper left just before Charlie came in to my room to wake me and give me my presents from him and Renée. Charlie bought me a an iPod which was really sweet, I hadn't wanted him to spend too much money on me but he thought that not only would I enjoy it now, but it would be useful when I went away to college. As a second little present Charlie also gave me an electric blanket to put on my bed as I 'hadn't had a real Forks winter yet', and I made sure to put it on my bed before school.

He also gave me Renée's present which surprised me- I had thought I would get it in the mail in a few day time because she would forget to send it on time. She and Phil had bought me a small digital camera that was apparently water proof, and a cooking class of me and another person in Port Angeles, to which they had attached a note to explaining that they knew I enjoyed cooking and thought I would like to learn some new skills and techniques.

School was actually alright too. We watched my favourite version of Romeo and Juliet in English which was nice, although I had English with Edward and it was a little awkward as I had once thought of him as my Romeo. But people mostly stayed away because I spent the whole day with Jasper or Edward by my side and they were pretty intimidating to the average human. The only person at school I really spoke to was Angela. I still spoke with her often, she was lovely and didn't believe the rumours at all but there was only so much one person could do to counteract so many others.

Dinner with Charlie was nice as well, we just went to the diner where he had a steak and I had a burger. He had wanted to take me somewhere nicer like the Italian restaurant I liked in Port Angeles but he always worked the night shift on a Tuesday night and I didn't think my birthday was a good enough reason to rearrange everyone's schedules. Eventually Charlie went to work for the night and I drove myself to the Cullen's for my little party.

The party itself was lovely. They had decorated the front sitting room with some little lights and there were a few vases with fresh flowers in them and some music I didn't know playing quietly in the background. I had really expected Alice to go way over the top with all of this but it was just the right mix of done up and simple. Of course I apologised to Alice for my assumptions which earned a laugh from everyone.

Esmé had baked me a beautiful looking vanilla cake using the recipe I had shown her and decorated it in lovely light blue shade of buttercream and piped a happy birthday in purple. Like always I felt horrifically awkward standing there while everyone sang to me but eventually I was able to blow out the candles and pose for a few photos cutting the cake that only I would eat.

That was where my trouble started.

…

The cut across the palm of my right hand was a little painful but nothing compared to what I had done in the past, but it bled quite a lot for a shallow wound. Carlisle explained as he was cleaning and bandaging it that the hand was quite vascular and much like the head could bleed very rapidly.

I barely even registered that Edward and Jasper had nearly lost control and were growling until I had come around a little from nearly fainting. I felt awful that I had caused these people I loved any sort of pain- even if it was an accident but I knew that we all needed to talk about a lot of things and this incident had highlighted that need.

"Why don't you go and change your shirt, there is a little blood on yours, and then we can go downstairs. There's a lot we need to talk about as a family." Carlisle told me as he used some alcohol wipes to clean up the little bit of mess on the floor next to the couch I had been laying on.

I made my way down the hallway to Jasper's room where I quickly found one of his black t-shirts that smelled like him and changed. Only then did I realise how much blood was on my shirt. It looked like I had grabbed the shirt with my cut hand when it happened- probably my automatic reaction to try and hide the blood a little.

"Is there a bin somewhere?" I asked Carlisle as I walked towards him by the stairs. "I think I've pretty much ruined my shirt." I said holding it up.

"Here, leave it with me, I'm an expert in removing blood stains." He answered while smiling and taking the shirt from me and leaving it in his office.

"Messy eater or doctor?" I joked.

"In the early days, both." He joked back, although it was probably true.

Carlisle helped me down the stairs as I was still a little shaky on my feet and pulled out a chair at the dining table for me to sit at his side, leaving a space for Jasper beside me.

"Are you okay?" Jasper asked as he picked up my uninjured hand to hold, concern clear on his face and radiating from him.

"I'm fine," I said to him before looking at Edward and Alice where they sat opposite us. "I'm okay and I don't blame any of you for what happened, I made a mistake and things got a little out of hand, but that's the price I pay for having a vampire family." I laughed lightly at the end, really we all should have seen something like this coming.

"And that is what we all need to discuss." Carlisle addressed us all, taking charge of the meeting. "We should have had this discussion quite some time ago, but we have all taken risks and it's time we discussed how we can manage them and what we are going to do from now on."

"I don't want to put you two on the spot, but what have you planned about the future?" He asked us first.

"Well," Jasper began, "Not too much has been set in stone but from what we have discussed the plan was to wait another couple of years and then change Bella." He looked to me to continue.

"Ideally I would like to be around the same physical age as Jasper when I'm changed. I think that it's young enough to still pull off the high school charade, but also old enough that we could go and do our own thing without attracting suspicion." I added.

"So you definitely want to become a vampire?" Esmé asked.

"One hundred percent." I said with conviction. "I've been thinking about it for as long as I've known about vampires and I've weighed up the options and there is no way I could remain human and be safe."

"What about everything you would be giving up?" Rosalie asked.

"To me there isn't a lot that would be given up to be completely honest. I would lose the relationship with my parents yes, but I have no other really strong ties to being human. I've never wanted children so that isn't an issue, and I couldn't live without Jasper, or the rest of you," I paused and looked at my family. "So I don't see there being any other option for me."

"That's very mature of you Bella. The way I see it is there are only two options available to us at this stage and one is far more favourable." Carlisle spoke. "Option one is you remain human and there is always the large risk that something happens and you are seriously injured or killed. Eventually you will die which will have a massive impact on this family, we vampires don't like change." He paused and everyone had a slight chuckle at the dark humour.

"The second option is that you are changed and live with us as a vampire. You will be in far less danger and can stay with is as long as you and Jasper choose to. I assume that's the choice you'll go for?"

"Absolutely, there is no doubt in my mind." I answered before adding. "As long as you all want me."

Everyone all answered in their agreement instantly except for Rosalie who waited for everyone before looking directly at me and speaking.

"At first I saw you as a threat to my family Bella, and I don't take threats lightly," Emmett laughed quietly, "But in these last few months I've seen the positive effect you have had on the family and I can't ignore the treat presented by you not being a part of the family is greater than that of you staying. So yes, I want you to stay and be changed, as long as you're sure about it and won't regret it."

"Thank you Rosalie, that means so much to me." I sincerely thanked her.

"So now it's just the timing we have to worry about." Said Emmett.

"After tonight I'm inclined to say as soon as possible, but that raises a whole lotta new concerns." Jasper answered.

"Exactly," I elaborated, "If I were to be changed right now I'd have to disappear which would bring a lot of suspicion on all of you. And it would destroy my parents. But if we waited at least until I go to college then it pulls a lot of the heat off of you and I can simply go missing or there be a freak accident. Fake my death?"

"You would still be in some danger if we waited another year though." Carlisle added. "Although it would allow for a much cleaner transition."

"But what if something like tonight happens again?" Edward asked quietly. "What if I lose control again?"

"Then we have to take precautions to avoid it." Said Jasper.

"Hunt more regularly and be careful. If you are worried about something happening then maybe you need to avoid spending time alone with Bella." Rosalie added.

"I can do that, but what about you Jasper?" Edward asked. "You nearly lost control too."

"I feel like Jasper losing control was different to you though Edward." I said. "Jasper has been around small amounts of my blood far more often than anyone else here, several times he's been the one to point out to me I'd cut my leg shaving and nothing happened. I think tonight was different because all of you felt the thirst, so Jasper ended up feeling his own, plus Edward's multiplied thirst, and everyone else's slight thirst."

When I said that it was like I had blown all their minds away. They all looked at me with slightly shocked expressions and froze.

"Wait you had never considered that before? Jasper feels everything that everyone around him feels, and last I checked thirst is a feeling."

"No, none of us ever considered that." Carlisle replied slightly shocked.

"Well babe, I think I just solved the mystery of why you were known to have the worst control in the family." I laughed and smiled at Jasper who didn't react for a moment.

Then all of a sudden Jasper kissed me and exclaimed "You're a genius Bella!" Much to the amusement of everyone.

"So… that's it then? I remain human for at least the rest of the school year, and we aim towards my nineteenth birthday for a change date, and we fake my death or something and lay low for a while, while I'm a newborn and learning control and such and then life continues as normal?"

"It's settled. But I think we all need to regularly discuss this and what's going on. If things get too dangerous or we have any more incidents then we might need to consider moving things through faster. Is everyone in agreement?" Carlisle asked, and everyone voiced their agreements with the plan.

By that time it was quite late and I needed to head home before I fell asleep here. While I was fine with staying here, and I was sure no one would mind, Charlie would be home any time between five and seven and he would definitely mind. So Jasper drove me home as my right hand wasn't bending too well and we tested out the new stereo system from Emmett and Rosalie, and it worked beautifully.

"You want me to come in?" Jasper asked as we pulled up.

"Always." I answered. "That was a lot to process and I would really like you to stay the night."

"Of course, that was intense."

Inside I headed to the kitchen to grab myself a glass of water from the fridge and Jasper quickly ran my presents up to my room. By the time he was back in the kitchen I was leaning against the counter next to the fridge.

"Do you know how sexy you look standing there in my shirt?" He asked huskily in my ear as he placed his arms on either side of me and began to kiss my neck.

I turned around so my back was against the counter and entwined the fingers of my uninjured hand in the back of his hair and pulled myself up to meet his lips with my own. There were no slow and romantic kisses today, only slightly rough- though not painful- needy kisses. My arms slid around Jasper's neck as his hands grabbed my hips, first pulling me closer and then moving further back before he lifted me onto the bench, leaving me closer to him and allowing me to wrap my legs around his hips.

I pulled away from the kiss to breath for a moment and his lips found their way to my neck, kissing along my jaw and then down, pausing for a moment at my pulse point.

"You smell so good." He groaned into my neck, sending little shivers through my body. "I'm so sorry for tonight, I nearly lost control." His lips stopped their kisses and he stilled until I grabbed his hair and tilted his face to look at me again.

"You could never hurt me Jasper. I love you. I trust you." My voice was slightly croaky with lust but the love was evident in my tone.

"You have no idea what that means to me Bella." He responded with the most beautiful smile on his face before he leaned down for the kisses to begin again.

There was a desperate need in the air. I needed Jasper, I needed to feel the love, I needed to show him I trusted him fully. After tonight everything could have been so easily ruined. If he, or Edward, had even an ounce less of self-control, or if everyone hadn't hunted so recently, or if there had been more blood then it would have ended so much worse.

When Jasper's pleasantly cool hands began to make their way inside the shirt I had borrowed from him, all I wanted to do was throw the shirt off, but the hard bench beneath me reminded me we were in the kitchen.

"My room. Let's go." I panted out. And we were there. Standing against the wall just inside my room. Well he was standing. My legs were wrapped around his waist and his hands supporting me, his weight leaning against me. I pulled the shirt over my head and was left there in my jeans, shoes and bra.

I quickly pulled Jasper's shirt up and over his head to expose his lean muscled chest. He briefly let go of my legs to allow me to pull the shirt off properly and pressed more of his weight against me to hold me up. Right where our hips met I could feel everything. I threw his shirt off and it landed somewhere near my bedroom door; I didn't pay attention other than that.

Jasper's arms were once again around my legs and his hands held my ass as he lightly pressed into me again. It felt like a beautiful forever that we were up against the wall before Jasper just said "Bed?" and I agreed with a nod.

He kicked his shoes off as he walked us to the bed and as he placed me down I quickly kicked off my sneakers which landed with a thump beside the bed. And the intense kisses continued. Until I felt a cool breeze which sent a shiver of the not so good kind down my spine.

"Sorry, are you cold?" Jasper asked me, pulling up slightly so less of his cool skin was touching mine.

"Yeah, hold on for just a second." I replied, sitting up and disentangling myself from Jasper to get off the bed. I quickly turned on the small fan heater I had perched in the corner of my desk and then flicked on the switch for the electric blanket.

But then standing there next to my bed in only my jeans and bra, in front of the god-like creature that was my boyfriend laying there on my bed, shirtless and perfect, I felt self-conscious.

"Bella…" Jasper spoke softly, yet the huskiness had not yet left his voice and clearly portrayed how he was still feeling. "I'm sorry, that went a little too far."

"No!" I nearly yelled before reigning my voice in a little, "No, that's not the issue. I want to… like I do really want to," I smiled and received a smile back, "It's just you look so perfect. And I, well don't." I finished quietly and folded my arms across my middle, trying to hide behind them.

"Bella," Jasper sat up and carefully pulled me towards him with gentle hands on my hips. "I love you, and you are perfect. More perfect than you can imagine and certainly more perfect than I am." He paused for a moment and smiled at me and projected all the feelings of love onto me, filling me with a beautiful warmth.

"And yes," He continued, "Things were going a bit far there. I would love nothing more than to show you just how much I love you, but I worry about losing control and I don't want to rush it. Especially not your first time."

"You're right, I love you and rushing into this as a reaction to what happened tonight isn't the right thing to do." I replied, smiling down at Jasper before leaning in for a more innocent kiss.

"Why don't you get ready for bed? I'll stay right here, and I'll stay all night if you want?"

"Please stay, earlier tonight did bring back some memories I'd rather forget." I replied before I quickly kissed him again and collected my things for a shower.

Showering with one hand was a skill I never thought I would become so good at, but I was done in only a few minutes without wetting my injured hand and quickly dressed in a tank top and clean underwear. I almost ran to my room as the hallway was freezing, but just in the few minutes I had been gone my room was toasty warm, which suited me perfectly as it meant I could climb into bed with Jasper and not worry about the cold. And that is exactly what I did.

Jasper stayed the whole night in my room and even hid in the corner when Charlie poked his head in to make sure I was getting up for school and to pass me the black t-shirt he found outside my door that he asked if I had dropped. Jasper also stayed every night for the next two weeks and every chance we could we tested the boundaries we found the night of my birthday. In those weeks we didn't go much further, and there wasn't such a needy spontaneity to our actions, but the care and love we showed each other was incredible.

Author's Note:

Soooo I totally ignored the rule I set myself of no more writing until my exams were done but hey, I'm sure none of you are complaining, right? Thanks so much everyone for the fantastic reaction last chapter, it's really spurring me on so let's see how long this writing streak lasts?

Also, I've gone back and read all the reviews here from the past and I saw a few about Jasper and Alice's marriage and breaking vows and that last time they had sex and I want to tell you about my views on marriage and sex but I don't want to leave an essay so I'll write it on my profile and you can read it if you want.

Also, yes things got a little sexy here and they will continue to throughout the rest of the story, they will eventually have sex but I don't want to just spring it on everyone I want to build up to it. So stay tuned, I don't know when it will be, but sometime. When that time comes or things get any sexier than this chapter does I will chuck up a little warning at the top so you can avoid it if you choose.

Anyway, hope you enjoy, I look forward to hearing from you.