AN: Standard disclaimer here

Hey, I did it! Wrote another chapter. I actually kind of like this one too even though it's a bit shorter than I'd like. It seemed like a good place to stop. I hope you enjoy!

Special thanks to Fakin'it who suggested Jasper needed to be let in on her epiphany. Thanks, darlin'.

Previously:

She lightly hit his chest and giggled before ducking into his chest to hide her warming cheeks. As they gently warmed him through the cotton material Jasper once again began purring as he just held her close. He was never one to purr this much but she was his and he was happy. For the first time since they met Jasper has begun to having feelings for the princess.

Chapter 7:

As the evening with Bella and Jasper came to a close, Bella revealed to Jasper her epiphany earlier in the evening. She was trying to bring the Major out and she wasn't giving Jasper a chance to be himself. She admitted that she likes the sweet and kind Jasper.

Jasper shared with her that he felt different since having met her and his family and voiced their complaints at his change in demeanor. Bella hung her head and apologized for pushing him to become someone that he didn't want to be and that his family did not care for.

When Jasper dropped Bella off at home that night Felix was already there with a waiting smile as he let his princess into the Swan home. He gave Jasper a firm handshake and a quick goodnight, not allowing the couple to dawdle on the doorstep.

Charlie was already in bed asleep aware that Felix was waiting up for Bella. Felix led Bella upstairs so she could get ready for bed and then uncharacteristically joined her in her bedroom to ask about the date.

Bella recounted the whole story without blushing until she got to the part about the kiss. Felix smiled happily at her and agreed that she should get to know the man Jasper is today rather than trying to make him someone he is not.

Bella and Felix spent a couple hours talking about what it would be like to bring Jasper back to Volterra. Bella expressed concern that he was not the "warrior" that they wanted and that they might both be killed. Felix tried to calm her worries by reminding her that even though she was taught to be a princess, she was adored by the Volturi despite their intentions. They didn't have to treat her well or provide for her in any way. They do care about her and have watched her grow from a little girl.

"I know you say that, Felix. I just can't see Jasper and I running the vampire world together. I don't want to. I just want to be happy. I've waited so long for him. And now that I get to be with him it just seems like it's all going to slip away."

"Bella, you are a young woman with 3 years to go before you official change into this life. You have some maturing yet to do and your relationship with Jasper needs to continue to develop. Don't put the weight of the world on your shoulders this early in the game." Felix got up and switched the light off as he silently left the room.

Bella was always so certain of who she was and what she was supposed to do, even though revenge was always in the forefront of her mind, she never had problems sleeping like she did tonight. She tossed and turned thinking about Jasper's lips on her, thinking about how she had treated him and pushing him to become a demon he didn't want to be. She knew she had been affected by the Volturi but she was not going to hurt her mate because of it.

Jasper spent the rest of the night hunting due to increased thirst after being so close to Bella all evening.

Saturday morning presented Jasper with the need to see Bella. Bella was also feeling the pull to be close to Jasper and neither had talked about the rest of the weekend. They didn't have plans and Felix found it amusing that Bella preferred to pace around nervously rather than call Jasper and invite him over. Felix had always thought of himself as her protector, a father. He was however, beginning to feel more brotherly towards her. He wanted to antagonize her and tease her mercilessly for her inability to handle this simple situation.

"Bella, just call him already!" He was exasperated but still found the situation funny.

"I can't, I don't know what he's doing today. What if he regretted the kiss last night? You didn't even give him a chance for a proper goodbye. I don't know what he thinks of me."

Felix chuckled at her babbling and grabbed her to stop the pacing, all while her father watched with mirth at the exchange between the huge "bodyguard" and his daughter.

"Just call him, please Bella." Felix gave her a serious look trying to wipe all hints of humor from his face.

"Let me go," Bella hissed at him. He immediately let go of her shoulders and now her father was paying close attention to the interactions.

"Sorry, but just relax and call him." Felix stepped back and then turned to go to his room, leaving Bella with her estranged father.

"Bella, I think Felix is right, if you like this kid, just call him. He's a good boy and comes from a good family. I don't think he would treat you poorly for just a phone call, if he can't talk, he'll tell you that." Charlie looked at her trying to give her a fatherly and supportive look while nodding towards the ancient pale blue phone on the kitchen wall.

Bella huffed and threw herself down on the sofa. "I can't. All I ever seem to do is screw things up with him." She gave Charlie a pleading look though she didn't know what she was pleading for. Bella had always been sure of herself, she was raised to be decisive and strong, but when it came to Jasper and dating she was out of her element. She stupidly thought they'd just automatically fall in love and run away together. The reality was much different.

Meanwhile, Jasper lay on a chaise in the library staring at the ceiling. He had nothing to say to anyone and continued to replay the evening with Bella in his limitless mind, while trying to figure out how to move forward. Bella was an enigma to him, he had thought she was threat and in some ways he was right. She is forever changing his life, she's Volturi, she's being tortured, she was a naïve girl, they were part of some stupid prophecy and the Volturi thought they'd rule through them.

Jasper closed his eyes and cleared his mind, though sleep was impossible he could relax. He stayed that way for several hours until Carlisle broke him from his "slumber".

"Jasper, can we speak please?" Carlisle requested as he quietly entered the library. Jasper opened his eyes giving an unintentional glare at Carlisle for disturbing his relaxation time.

"Yes Carlisle, what do you want to talk about?" Jasper asked sitting up to face his father figure.

"I believe I know the prophecy that you are supposed to fulfill."

Jasper's full attention was now on Carlisle. "Why didn't you say anything before?"

"I've spent the last couple days remembering prophecies and it took me this long to get to the one about you."

Jasper nodded and silently waited for Carlisle to continue. Being over 400 years old did have it's drawbacks when it came to an eternal memory.

"During my time with the Volturi, I poured through books as you know. I learned many many things about our history and prophesized future. I never took much stock in prophecies there was no reason for me to believe them, having eternal life didn't seem like it could be plotted out so much. I do recall however, there was a prophecy of a sword and shield." He began to recite, "he will be the power to rule the land, with the might of his desire, and she will rule by his side bathing our world in protection. Together, they will move our kind to exist in peace among the living and our thirst will be sated."

Jasper stared at Carlisle for a few moments thinking about those words. "Do you know how stupid that sounds. I have NO desire to 'rule the land', Carlisle. I just want to be left alone. I don't want to fight anymore, I'm retired." He gave a somber look towards Carlisle as he returned to his prone position on the chaise.

"Jasper, that's why it took me so long to figure it out. It's not about your desire to rule the land. I think it's because you are empathic. I think desire refers to your ability not your actual want to control anything. Just like Bella is said to bathe the world in protection. I think it's her shield, it's why they've found her and been grooming her to mate with a warrior. The Volturi have no desire to live in peace with humans, they despise them. They are nothing more than cattle to them. They want to control you because of their revulsion towards humans. I think though…" he paused for a long moment.

"I hope, that is, that Jasper, the end of the prophecy says our thirst would be sated. I can only hope that means that we no longer would have to kill to feed. I don't know what it means for us. It doesn't indicate that we'd become human again or that we'll die off, but that we'll live in peace among the living. Is it ridiculous for me to be excited about what that could mean? For all of us, Jasper."

Jasper stared at Carlisle and then nodded and turned his face towards the ceiling, ending the conversation so that he could think more about this situation.

Now that he knew the prophecy he still wasn't convinced it was him that it was talking about. He didn't want to fight the Volturi, he didn't want power, but as Carlisle mentioned, what about the thirst being sated? He'd lived with the burn for over 140 years, he had long ago given up hope that it would ever dissipate. He wondered like Carlisle if he should dare hope that was even possible. But then how would they feed? What would satisfy them; surely if it had been possible someone would have already discovered it.

Jasper vacillated between feeling hopeless and hopeful about his thirst. It was a burn that reminded him every second who and what he was. He was a killer, he was machine for years, he learned a new calmer and happier way of life; a way of life that kept the guilt off his shoulders, but not his memories. Jasper's memory was long and riddled with hate, war, and oppression. He wanted to be free, free from anger, free from war, and free from his thirst. But was the cost of that becoming a ruler? Enforcing laws, managing a police force of vampires to carry out destruction, and spending countless hours, months, years delivering justice, writing and maintaining laws to keep the vampire world safe as technology continued to grow and threaten to expose them.

Three years until Bella is supposed to become a vampire, to be his age. Three years was the blink of eye, he knew Bella would disagree but as he lay there contemplating everything, he knew decisions needed to be made and quickly.

In the meantime, Bella finally became angry enough at not hearing from Jasper all day to call him after dinner that evening. Felix smiled as she stomped to the phone and dialed the number with ferocity. Charlie watched in amusement also and shared a knowing look with Felix at the antics of his teenage daughter.

Jasper's phone quietly vibrated in his pocket pulling him from his musings. He answered.

"Hello, Bella."

"Oh, you remember my name!" She was angry and he was puzzled.

"Why wouldn't I remember your name?"

"Well I thought maybe you forgot all about me, seeing as I didn't hear from you at all today," she snapped.

Jasper looked at the clock on the wall and realized it was after 7pm Saturday night. He hadn't intended to spend the whole day in the library, he lost track of time.

"I do apologize, Bella. It seems I lost track of time. I was thinking about things and I found out what the prophecy states. I did intend to call you much earlier, but for vampires, time is not usually crucial."

"Don't blame ignoring me on being a vampire," Bella hissed quietly into the phone so that her dad couldn't hear.

"I apologized, Bella. There is nothing more I can say. I lost track of time. It's that simple. I was not ignoring you, in fact, you are all I think about. I can't keep my mind off of you, off this prophecy, off of the changes that are coming. And I don't know what to do about them. I'm not ready to embrace this destiny that you have thrown at me. I don't really want it, I don't want what it will entail, and I don't want to be forced into a relationship because of a prophecy. I want to be with you because of who you are, not what you are, what we are supposed to become."

Bella's emotional teenage brain only heard two things as Jasper was speaking. That he didn't want his future with her but then that he did want to be with her. Her heart soared skipping a beat as she realized he was hers. She wasn't going to have to try so hard after all. They just needed to learn about each other, but they are together, now and always.

"Jasper, can you come over, please?" Bella nearly begged into the phone.

"I'll be right there."

Bella sighed happily as she hung up the phone. He was coming to her, he was hers, he wanted her, wanted to be with her. Bella's stomach developed butterflies as she tried to regain her control and entered the living room to find two smiling men at her.

"What?" she barked, "he's on his way over."

"See, I told you to just call him." Felix winked at her and leaned back to continue watching the baseball game that Charlie was watching.

Bella sat on the sofa by Felix, her leg bouncing while she watched the front door as if any moment it was going to pop open and produce Jasper. Charlie smirked at Felix and nodded towards Bella and Felix returned it. She was oblivious to the men in the room. Bella's calm easy façade didn't exist anymore, she couldn't control herself no matter how much training she had, she was a hormonal teenager in lust.

Ten minutes later, Jasper's truck could be heard pulling up in front of the house and Bella shot from her seat, possibly a bit too fast but Charlie didn't think too much of it.

"Isn't she just a bit too excited to see this boy she's only known a few days?" Charlie asked Felix, who shrugged in response. Felix obviously couldn't tell Charlie the dynamics of this relationship so it was best to just say nothing at all.

Jasper entered giving Bella a big hug and took her hand saying, "hello" to Charlie and Felix while pulling Bella upstairs.

Charlie's eyebrows shot up as he was almost completely ignored and slightly irritated that Jasper thought he could just pull Bella to her room. Charlie moved to get up out of concern for what Jasper wanted to do so eagerly with his daughter when Felix held his hand up, Charlie paused.

"Leave the door open," Felix called upstairs and heard Jasper and Bella laugh since the door was not shut. "They'll be fine, just eager to see each other without parents involved, I think." He gave a soft smile to Charlie who just nodded and tried to refocus on the television.

Upstairs Bella and Jasper settled on her bed facing each other. Jasper began to tell her about the prophecy and she listened patiently before moving in to kiss him. She wasn't interested in the prophecy anymore; she just wanted to be with Jasper. He chuckled into the kiss but wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer.

Bella and Jasper spent the next couple of hours talking about insignificant things from their pasts, trips to amusement parks and carnivals, nothing important and sharing kisses. It nagged on Jasper that he wanted to talk more about the prophecy and what it would mean for them, but Bella always steered the conversation in another direction until he gave up.

Jasper left a very happy Bella behind him when he exited for the evening and Charlie and Felix were mirthful as they watched his departure and heard Bella give a little happy sigh as she closed the door behind him. It was never enough time together but it was better than nothing.

For tomorrow Jasper had promised to not only call in the morning but spend the day with Bella. Bella raced to her room to get ready for bed, not sure that she'd be able to sleep, still feeling the tingle from Jasper's lips on hers and enjoying the scent of him still hanging heavy in her bedroom.

Bella knew she was purposely avoiding talking about the prophecy, it didn't matter to her. She didn't want to do anything but be with Jasper. Just like he said, "I want to be with you because of who you are, not what you are, what we are supposed to become." She totally agreed. She knew the Volturi weren't going to give up on her and Jasper, she also knew she was going to kill them the first chance she got after being changed. She just wanted to be with Jasper, she loved how her heart fluttered and stomach flipped around when she thought of him and his touches, his kisses. It was all so new to her and wonderful.

AN: That being said, I was actually happy with this chapter and I hope you were too. I know it kinda seems like a filler, but the prophecy revealed makes it anything but. Let me know your thoughts! About the prophecy, the relationship, what you want to see next. I'm getting a little stuck, I'll be honest.