The sounds were monstrous, like lions and mountain lions screeching. Trees toppled in the dark as behemoths battled.

And she could hardly see any of it.

Another screech, a laugh, and then arms were scooping her up and she was flying.

Before she could gain her bearings, the arms disappeared and she was left at the opposite edge of the clearing, far from the brutal fight.

It was a whirl, her mind hardly able to catch up. Another millisecond and a man suddenly appeared before her. He had a charming grin and his delicate features screamed vampire.

"Miss," he said, tipping an invisible hat.

Before she could blink- this was truly becoming too much- Jasper blurred past, barreling into the man with him, and they vanished into the darkness once more.

Bella was shaking, and screamed when another figure appeared in front of her.

"Hello my dear," the woman said- another vampire. She was beautiful, ethereal in her movements and gentle expression. The woman lifted a lock of Bella's hair and pushed it behind her ear in a motherly gesture. "I'm sorry to be so forward, but I'm going to have to take you somewhere for the time being." The woman dragged Bella into her arms, immune to her viscious struggles. "Hush now. My name's Charlotte- you'll be safe with me."

"Jasper!" Bella shouted, wriggling and squirming. She was terrified.

"Shh. It's alright-"

Charlotte didn't get to finish her statement. Her head was wrenched back by the hair, further and further until her neck tore and her head snapped from her spine.

The vampire's limp body fell, Bella along with her. But before she could fall beneath the boulder that was her body, the familiar scent of mesquite and rainwater overtook her and she was once more in Jasper's arms.

He was virtually trembling, snarling with each breath he drew. He set her on her feet and pushed her behind him. He backed into her, crowding her backwards step by step. She had to hold onto his shoulders for leverage in order to watch the others.

The man landed behind the woman, Charlotte's, prone body.

"You've gotten stronger, buddy," the man said. Gone was his earlier charm and grace. Now it was tainted with caution and disguised frustration as he spared a glance to Charlotte.

Jasper didn't reply and Bella was having enough trouble as it was keeping her anxiety down.

"Listen m'am," the man said, directing his attention to her. "This man's name is Jasper Whitlock- he's… well it's hard to explain but he's unlike a normal human, he-"

"I know what you are," Bella said breathlessly. "And I know who he is."

The man was lost for words, then continued after a beat.

Jasper was growing more agitated by the second and she knew any vestige of humanity was long gone. This Jasper was as feral as feral could be.

"Well then you know what he's capable of," he said. "Don't worry, we'll help you. Until then, don't panic. Just try to act submissive. Just do whatever you've been doing to avoid being drained for this long."

"He won't hurt me," she said, insulted, amazed at the very thought. Of course, looking at him now would definitely lead someone to that confusion. But still. She clutched Jasper's shoulders tighter and Jasper snarled in response to her distress.

"I'll be fine," she said. "Truly. Now please go. I don't want him to hurt you…" She looked at the woman's body with remorse. "...anymore than he already has. I'm sorry, for everything."

She backed up step for step as Jasper crowded into her once more.

"I'll be fine," she said again. "Thank you."

With that, Jasper turned on his heel, gathered her into his arms, and with unimaginable speed they disappeared.

It took her hours to calm him down. It was a matter of running her fingers through his hair, pressing close to him, and speaking soothingly.

He was a soldier- she'd surmised that herself. But with the added instincts added from a vampire, he became something greater. A type of paranoid, vicious, and powerful soldier.

She'd heard of PTSD. Had seen it in pictures and documentaries. The same thing that connected each victim, she'd noticed, was their eyes.

Their gaze would be thousands of miles away, even if they were looking right at you. They were seeing something far, far away from somewhere unknown.

When he was in this mode of speechless rage, he gained that same gaze.

She'd understood the couple that had ambushed Jasper had meant well. They'd had kind eyes and a genuine demeanor. They'd wanted to help, and perhaps might appear once more. It was obvious the male recognized Jasper, but how she did not know.

But their intervention had only set what little progress Jasper had made back to right before Bella and he had met.

But Bella was a patient woman. And she'd be there for him as long as was necessary, guiding him until he could function once more.

But what if, when he became more lucid, he'd realize how erroneous it was to keep a human around? He'd disappear into the night and leave her to once more retreat into solitude. It wasn't as if she could go to the Cullens, afterall.

But she'd had a taste of the world that normal people were unaware of, and to think that it would be lost to her scared her. It was a bright, if terrifying world- it was something bigger than herself. She didn't want to lose it- it pained her to think as much. Almost as much as the thought of Jasper abandoning her.

She knew it was selfish. She knew it was foolish.

But she was only human, afterall.

AN: I'm sorry for the long wait. I'm very rusty with my writing, so please tell me if you are dissatisfied with this chapter, I'll do my best to fix it.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the continued support and I ask that you can forgive me for my disappearance.

Thank you again.

Until next time, pumpkins :)

-Iva