Disclaimer : Mentions of assault and violence

Prepare yourselves, things are about to get pretty intense now that Jasper's back ;)

Song :

Angel - Massive Attack

Jasper

There she is.

My Bella.

She's smiling brightly at Benjamin as he hands her a tray of drinks and for a second I'm envious that our bartender gets to see her beautiful smile before I do tonight. Seeing her from afar I can fully register how much I've missed being near Bella.

It was ridiculous how many times I dreamt of her. Her long chestnut brown hair, those curious eyes slowly straddling me and riding me to oblivion until I wake up with a painful erection. Or the times I relived the kisses we shared before I left.

Damn me for the amount of times I thought I heard her delicate voice in the restaurants I went to with the head of the Russian mafia for it only to be a complete stranger at a different table.

I never imagined I'd miss a girl like this in my life and the longer I had to stay to negotiate with these fucking leeches thirsty for the Cullen's investments, the more I missed Bella. My eyes didn't stop looking at her as soon as I spotted her working at the bar until Peter walked in with the usual stack of paper work and permits that needed to be looked over.

I took a generous drink out the glass of bourbon in my hand as I noticed something different in my adopted brother's eyes. The air around him was light, too light compared to his usual business-like demeanor.

"Did you see Bella yet? I know she'll be really happy to see you tonight. I didn't tell her you'd be coming to the club. Figured you'd want to surprise her." Peter said in an all too relaxed tone.

Walking over to the velvet couch in front of the oak desk where he leaned over the paperwork, I sat down crossing my legs with a shit eating grin on my lips. When he sensed my amusement he looked up with a perturbed expression.

"What? Cat got your tongue all of a sudden?" He joked as he reached for his own drink to his right.

"You guys had sex didn't you?" My turn to be the all knowing brother. My straightforwardness caused Peter to choke on his drink. A strange pink tint arising on his cheeks in his flustered attempt to regain control. Looking back up at me with his wide grey eyes for a second before composing himself, he sits down on the chair. I quirked my eyebrows as if to say I'm right huh?

"...Is it that obvious?"

I chuckled, "Either that or you're already drunk off your ass because you never look this fucking happy, Peter. I'd bet it's the latter."

"It happened so fast. I guess we just really..." His gaze didn't meet mine for a second.

"Do you regret it?" I kept grinning but in part I was serious.

Bella's been through a lot with James and I didn't want them to rush into anything which would then end up being messy. One of the reasons why I didn't want to be the first of us to initiate anything until she did. I was glad Bella picked Peter. Don't get me wrong, I would have loved to feel Bella's skin against mine, our lips consuming one another until we're both out of breath but I'm not like Peter. I don't have the same tenderness compared to him and I was afraid that would frighten her away.

I'd definitely would need to talk to Bella about that before hand.

"No! Not a fucking chance, man. It was the best thing that could have happened." Peter didn't hesitate.

Standing back up I feel myself gradually relax, "Good because it would suck if I had to kick your ass if you said anything other than that."

We joke around for a little longer until we needed to get back to work. Peter filled me in on the extra manpower he's hired, a retired vet that wanted some extra cash to support his two kids, an amateur boxer that has slowly gained recognition during his matches from our cousin and his business partners, and others who proved to be loyal to the family.

Something was wrong.

One second I can see Bella on the dance floor, waiting on tables and the next she's gone. The brief exchange we made from across the room was the only form of proof I had that told me I hadn't just imagine her.

My eyes scanned the second floor where I had seen her last until my attention landed on a line of four men walking down the spiraling stairs and going across the dance floor. They didn't look like any of the clients we've had come into Eclipse before and it rubbed me the wrong way.

The way they were dressed too. The all black suits and swirling tattoos that ran up their necks. A look I vaguely recognized. The whole air around them was off. They looked clean, too clean and guarded to com off as just a couple of guys hanging out at a club.

Mentioning this to Peter we both head down while I called Emmett to meet us downstairs. We gathered together and ask one of our bouncers where the group of men had gone off to. When they pointed in the direction down the long hallway where the bathrooms were, my chest felt tight. The entire time we walked down the hall, I constantly searched every which was for Bella and my anxiety only creeped up on me when I never caught sight of her.

We rounded the corner to the bathrooms to see them all circled around the entrance to the mens restroom but they weren't blocking it. They were blocking the women's restroom.

Emmett, Peter and I sensed something fucked up was going on in there and I wasn't about to put up with any form of abuse to befall a woman.

Walking up to the tallest of all the men I stare right through him as though he were nothing because he really was.

"Sorry fellas, bathrooms are down." He waved his hand around dismissively. I almost reached for his hand, ready to hear his bones breaking the moment I stomped on it.

"Oh really? I wasn't notified by my employees that anything was wrong with my club." Realizing they chose the wrong person to fuck around with, some of the guys behind the tallest man looked around nervously.

"Guess they just never got around to telling you." He smirked. "We'll make sure to get it fixed."

His bullshit was getting on my nerves now.

Peter was the next one to speak, "Wipe that smirk off or I'll wipe it off for you."

The prick was about to start arguing with us when a loud bang resounded from the other side of the wall followed by a haunting cry.

I push past two men before one with long dreadlocks tries to stop me, "C'mon man just get out of here."

Without looking at him, I grab his hand and slam him face first against the wall. I distinctly hear something crack when his cheekbone comes into contact with the concrete and I let him writhe in pain as I turn around. The tallest tries to defend his friend by raising a fist but Emmett interferes, landing a generous punch square on his nose. I hear a crunch followed by a wail as the guy crumbled down to the floor.

Not wanting to take another moment longer, I shove past the others who were scared shitless but tried nonetheless to take Emmett and Peter on. The door was locked when I tried to push it open at the same time I heard a man yelling behind it. Feeling a rage consume me I kick the door in, ignoring the way the glass shattered on the floor upon the impact. When I walk in, I catch a glimpse of the most sickening and horrifying sight I suspected I would see.

Bella has a huge cut across her forehead with blood running down her ghostly pale face, half unconscious and being held up her long hair by an animal.

James Asher was shoving her against the counter and his hand going down to undo his belt buckles. Before I gave him the chance I spoke with all the venom I had in my voice, not bothering to look at the murderous look on Peter's face next to me.

"Get the fuck off of her before I blow your brains all over the wall, you motherfucker."

For a second I heard Bella call out our names but I couldn't respond or even look at her.

I was seeing red and knowing me that wasn't a good state to find me in. The last thing I wanted to do was show Bella how cruel I truly was.

Telling Peter to get Bella out of here I ripped James off of her without causing any harm to the nearly unconscious girl directly. I lifted him up by his shirt and slammed him down on the tile floor, adrenaline kicking in completely now. Emmett slammed the door behind him as soon as Peter took Bella away to hold me back before I did something other than beat the shit out of James but once he pulled me off of him, Emmett ended up knocking him out with a kick to the face.

"We can't do this here, Jazz!" Emmett insisted to get me to come back from the rage I had that consumed me. "I'll take him to the warehouse with the guys once we get the club cleared out but you should go to Bella. She's in rough shape, man."

The sound of Bella's name coming from Emmett shook me out of wanting to murder the abusive motherfucker whose face now looked worse than Bella's did when we busted in here. Deep cuts above his eyebrow, both eyes slammed shut, broken nose and busted up lip from the kick Emmett delivered.

With hesitation I catch my breath to calm myself and grabbed my phone to call Garett and Benjamin to come collect James' accomplices who were still out there in the hallway no doubt thanks to Peter and Em.

My hands were cut up from the punches I delivered so I washed them thoroughly until not a trace of blood was left, ignoring the burning from the cuts I had on my knuckles.

When I made it to the nearly empty dance floor, passing complaining customers that their partying was cut short I noticed Peter making his way out of the elevator that led to Rosalie's office.

"Go stay with Bella, I'll deal with the trash." Was all Peter said, not bothering to look at me as he past by. If James Asher thought he was going to die by my hands - that it would be quick and painless, he was sorely mistaken. Because one thing I know about Peter is you do not fuck with children or women and get away with it.

Out of all of us, Peter's the one to have the worst experience in that front. Just thinking about Peter's past and what those sorry excuse for parents did to him when he was a child made my hatred for people like James come back twice as much.

My fingers ran through Bella's hair while my other hand held a cloth to her wound, the white cloth turning into a light pink from the blood it absorbed.

Rosalie was on the phone with our father who was coming to Eclipse but after seeing how much blood was on the cloth I wanted to just take her to the hospital. When Bella stirred I tried to reassure her by whispering kind words in her ear.

"...Jasper..." She didn't open her eyes but her shaking voice told me she wanted me near her and I knew then I would do pretty much anything for this girl.

"I'm here darlin'. You're in really rough shape, Bella. Do you want me to take you to the hospital?"

"No! No the hospital, please." Her eyes opened instantly then and I could see all the fear she had in them.

I would have argued more to go to the hospital and make sure she didn't have a worse injury somewhere but I didn't want to cause her anymore anxiety than she was already going through.

"Ok baby. What do you need me to do?" I asked her.

"Home. Take me home. Please..." More tears slipped down her cheeks like a never ending stream. Without hesitating I picked her up in my arms, grimacing at the way she winced at my touch and looked at my sister who looked as if she could burst into tears at any moment.

"Tell dad I had to leave but Peter's at the warehouse. I can take you home if you want, Rose. Emmett won't be back for a while."

She shook her head, "No, Jazz. I'll wait for dad and I'll have him take me home. You take care of Bella. Call me tomorrow to let me know how she's doing."

Before I left I could hear Rosalie say under her breath something along the lines of make sure he gets what he deserves.

We made it to the apartment and I carried Bella directly to the long couch in the living room to set her down.

"I'll be right back, I'm going to get something for that cut on your head." I said gently, noticing how empty her eyes looked as she stared ahead. At nothing practically. I wasn't even sure if she heard me but I went to the guest bathroom down the hall where I knew we had a first aid kit in one of the cabinets.

I came back to the living room, unsurprised to find Bella in the exact same position that I had left her in. I kneeled down next to her, slowly pushing a few strands from her face before I reached for the cotton swabs and alcohol. I cleaned up the blood around the cut with a wet towel and saw it was a shallow cut thankfully. I thought it was much worse when I saw the amount of blood on her face.

"It's not deep but it's going to hurt while I disinfect it." She didn't reply but her eyes met mine.

She let me clean her up until I applied the antibiotic ointment on the cut when she flinched back.

"Sorry, darlin'. I'm almost done."

Hating the silence I spoke up, "Those men are being dealt with. They're not going to hurt you again Bella. I swear."

Her eyes flickered as I continued wiping the remaining blood off her pale skin. The sides of her temples and flushed cheeks then to her neck where I noticed red marks. Doing my best to keep my anger at bay I slowly ran the towel along her collar bone. Keeping my eyes strained on her face I asked, "Did he hurt you anywhere else?"

Bella's hand went up and motioned behind her.

Her back.

"Can I check?"

She nodded.

I went around behind the couch and lifted the shirt up just before I would see her bra or any part of her that she didn't want me to. I cursed under my breath at the sight of an array of bruises that were forming on her lower back. My fingers slowly grazed her skin before I could think better of it, her back was warm in comparison to the bone chilling bruises she was sure to have tomorrow.

"It was my fault."

I leaned forward, "What?"

"I got scared and fell back when I saw him. It's my fault I hurt myself. It always is." She sounded so hollow and I hated it. Walking around and sitting next to her, I pull Bella into my arms. My head rested against her shoulder, taking in her scent as I tried to calm myself before speaking again.

"Bella, this was not your fault. What James did, what he could have done - it wasn't your fault. It could never be."

"I ran away. Instead of staying in my grandmother's apartment to pay him off, I ran away because I was so scared and tired of everything. This is what I get for thinking I could escape."

Leaning away, I held her face in my hands, "Look at me." She didn't so I used a stern voice, "Bella, look at me."

Her tear filled eyes met my gaze.

"You are not to blame for any of this. You were dragged into a fucked up life just like many of us have been. But that's just blood. There's no changing what we're born into but we get to choose how we deal with it. You tried taking the burden on yourself for too long, it's time you let others help you so that you can heal. The first step is to accept that you're not alone anymore. I'm here and Peter is too. James is done, he'll never lay another hand on you again. Trust me."

She took my words, studying each thing I said and if I didn't know her well enough by now I'd guess she's already putting together what's going to happen to James Asher. Bella didn't ask me though. She simply nodded and let me pull her into my arms again. She tucked her head against my neck, her lips grazing my skin which sent chills throughout my skin. My fingers massaged her scalp, remembering the way James grabbed her hair so viciously and hoped I could ease the pain she felt with my touch.

We stayed that way until I felt her body grow heavier against my chest. I carried her to her bedroom, relishing the way she was tucked close to me. She wouldn't let go of my shirt when I set her down under the covers so I climbed up onto the bed on top of the covers. My hand held hers while my thumb rubbed her knuckles every now and then.

Bella stirred constantly, pained noises coming from her lips until she was having a full on nightmare. I wrapped my arms around her when she woke up a sobbing mess and whispered kind, loving words in her ear to soothe her back to sleep. Most of the night was spent like that until I heard Peter's car pull into the driveway.

He didn't come into the room to see Bella that night and I knew he must have killed James Asher. And the effect it had on him will always be like a sinking black hole for him. While I grew numb to all the death around me - Peter wasn't able to simply put his guilt away. No matter how much we told ourselves that people like James deserved to die, they were still human beings that lived. The last time he killed someone, it took days before he spoke a word to me. I wondered if with Bella in our lives now, it would be the same.

I listened intently to the way his heavy footsteps walked past the bedroom door and to his own room most likely to take a shower. It was in moments like these when I wondered what it would take for one of us to walk away from this life that only brings stress and uncertainty and all the pain we experience that slowly eats away the parts of us that make us human - that makes us feel remorse or disgust for what we do to those that cross us. It all gets knocked over bit by bit until we're just empty.

"Jasper..." Bella's voice interrupts my reverie. I look down at her sleeping face, her eyes still closed with long lashes that brushed the skin under them with subtle movements. She breathed out my name in her sleep which makes me feel alive and nervous all at once.

Then, there it was. Bella was replacing all the broken pieces that I lost a long time ago and filling the cracks up with everything that she is but how long would that last until she decided this life of ours wasn't worth all the hardships that were sure to come.

Placing a kiss on her forehead I let my eyes fall shut and pulled her closer, enjoying the way she curled into my touch and wrapped her arms around me.

Thanks for reading!