Thanks to my wonderful beta Amber-is-a-Jasper's-Girl, who finally got her reward for betaing this- a fic where there is Jasper/Amber! Erasing the Fears, oneshot, yes shameless self promortion, I do it a lot! And thanks to all you readers and reviewers, I heart you ALL whether you like it or not (the story, I mean...). Seriously, I was ready for flying rotten fruit when I started it, but instead I've gotten AMAZING response. Aww... I love you guys!! Gets all teary and emotional Just so you know, and please don't hate me, but July 4th weekend I'm going away and then from mid July to mid August I have camp, so no updates during then... sorry! I'll try and get a few more chapters up before then I swear!
Oh and extrra thanks to those who gave me words!! More would be appreciated! I know I cheated this time, but it makes the right sound right? Right, of course I'm right. Sorry, Fiddler on the Roof moment! And those of you who said they loved evilish Jasper. I do too... I do too. I'm actually rereading Eclipse and just finished Jasper's story. I'm definitely trying to channel military Jasper.
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. Sorry!
While Bella waited for her father to return home, I dashed out to buy some contacts. Red eyes wouldn't do. I picked a dark, chocolaty brown.
"These ought to cover it," I muttered as I strategically stuck a half orb into my eye- I poked way to hard. I heard Bella come up the stairs to the bathroom. I tried again right before she appeared by the door. "Arg!"
"I'd help, but I doubt I could do it without hurting you. Or me," she offered softly. I chuckled. I was becoming pretty fond of her soft spoken comments and biting sarcasm, even in just the few hours we had been on "friendly" terms.
"I've got it," I insisted. I successfully shoved the first in my eye, so quickly that Bella didn't see. I moved onto the second as she watched me with interested eyes.
"Do you want to dye your hair? My dad has always been wary of tall guys with blonde hair, unless he's known him their whole life. You know why."
"No," I responded firmly. "If he doesn't like me, I can manipulate his emotions so that he does."
"Vam- your kind can do that?"
"Enough questions," I ducked quickly out of that conversation. "What's wrong with you that you need to know all this?"
"Curiosity. You know that I can't act, right?" I stared in the mirror for a while, just looking at my dull, brown eyes. They had a slight tint of red, but no human would be able to notice. I sighed, remembering when I was still human. This had been my original eye color.
A car door slammed from outside and Bella jumped. She stumbled down the stairs to set the table for her and her father.
"Hey, Bells," he greeted wearily. I listened to make sure she didn't slip up on her facts. "How was school? Make any friends?"
"It was good. I sat with some kids during lunch. They seemed nice," she replied, but her voice was distracted. "How was work? Any leads on the little girl?" Ah. I understood now.
She wanted to know if I had covered up the murder at all. I had honestly felt terrible for giving the parents hope that their daughter was alive - no sign of death had been left. But it was the only thing to be done.
"Nope," he told as chairs scraped against the tile floor. I could picture them perfectly. Bella would be sitting timidly, nervously even by the window and her father would be looking tired and stressed across from her. "Not a sign of struggle, either. She just disappeared. And only six years old as well! It almost reminds me of – well, never mind."
They ate in silence for a while. I sighed impatiently. When was I going to make my entrance? That's when I realized I was on my own for this. She had pretty much said it herself. I flipped through the phone book, looking up the phone number I needed. I grumbled to myself as I climbed out Bella's bedroom window and snuck my way over to the front door. Stupid humans.
I rapped sharply on the door and a startled gasp came from the kitchen.
"I'll get it, Dad," Bella yelled as she dashed to the door. It was flung open and she glowered. "What are you playing at?" she hissed.
"Sh," I murmured. No need to ruin this now. I continued, a little louder now. "Hello. I'm Jasper. Are your parents home?"
"Yes." She was stiff, her lips pursed. Charlie poked his head out of the kitchen, and with seeing me, walked forward.
"Is everything alright?" he asked, concern faked in his eyes. He wasn't a very good actor either. "Are you alone?"
"Yes." I began weaving my story smoothly. "May I use your phone? I, well, I ran away from home. I need to call my family." Just the idea of a family filled my body with warmth. I shoved it away and was refilled once more with ice. I couldn't bear to get attached to anyone, especially in such circumstances. I was filled with butterflies, just anticipating the phone call I was about to make.
"S-sure," he nodded and led me into the house. I was handed a wireless phone and left alone in his room, for privacy I suppose. I waited until I heard their eating resume.
I dialed the number with a quick speed that could only be achieved by a vampire.
"Hello?" a gruff voice answered. It sounded surprised, as if nobody ever called.
"Hello, is Alice there?" I questioned. The boy sighed and let out a laugh.
"One second. ALICE! Phone!!" I heard a shriek and the slamming of doors.
"If it's Mike Newton again, I'm not home!" her shrill voice screamed from far off.
"Are you Mike Newton?" he asked me, not missing a beat. I frowned.
"No."
"Okay, thanks. It's not Mike Newton!!" Alice's protests of coming to the phone made me laugh. I wondered just how many boys called her. At that thought I growled to myself.
"Who are you talking to?" I jumped. Bella had startled me, I was so immersed in this argument between the mysterious boy and my former mate.
"I don't know. I'm trying to talk to Alice Cullen." She nodded her head quietly and perched herself on the bed.
"She's the one that was in my room last night, right?" I raised my eyebrow speculatively. She withered back.
"Yes, that was her."
"One minute, sorry, I'm trying to get her," the boy grumbled before letting out a yell. "Alice, get off me! Mom, Dad, she's attacking me!! Edward, pull her off! Help!! Thank goodness, thank you, whoever pulled her off! Oh… hiya, Rose. Alice, phone for you."
There was a tense silence and I could almost picture her. She would be standing at a phone, pursing her lips, her eyes narrowed.
"Who is this?" she finally asked and I let out a sigh of relief.
"Me, Jasper. Listen, I – "
"Don't. Don't try and apologize, Jasper. I understand." Her voice was cold, uncaring. She sounded like me for a moment. I shivered, only now realizing how scary I must seem. "You couldn't take it. You couldn't take our diet. I understand, plenty can't do it! But don't go killing around our town. This is our territory. We can't have mysterious deaths around us!" Bella was watching me intently, interested. I could tell she wanted to know more about Alice. "You get that, right? And Bella Swan – honestly, what do you have against the girl? If you were going to kill, you could at least not play with your food. Lord, did I just say that? I've got to go and recheck my image of humans. You've reverted me back to my old thinking – it took me an entire month after I slipped to get rid of it."
She ranted on and on and I found myself clinging on to every word, every syllable. Her voice washed over me, something I had wanted for years, for over half a century. It pained me how she said "our" now, but it didn't mean me and her. It meant them.
"I think Bella wants to speak to you," I interrupted before I lost control. She stopped, startled.
"Um, sure, put her on." Her tone was uncertain, but I shoved the device into the human's hand. She held it up to her ear hesitantly.
"A-Alice? Um, well, I just wanted to say thank you. For, you know, saving my life," Bella stuttered.
"It's no problem, I guess," Alice responded, sounding just as nervous. "One second. Wait, Edward, what are you doing? Go guard your stupid piano! Emmett, get away from there, he'll kill you, I swear on Carlisle's medical files! Yes, I'm serious, when it comes to that, when am I not? Rosalie, control your husband! No, Rose, don't kill him, kill Emmett! CARLISLE, ESME!"
"Alice, dear, don't you think you can help?" a fatherly voice questioned as a boom sounded.
"No," she told him, sounding like a teenager for once. "I'm on the phone! Anyhow, I'm sorry, Bella, Edward's being an – oh, shush, you! I told you, I'm on the – ah, get off of me, that's not fair, you're taller!" The phone went click and I sighed.
"Thank you for saving my life? Don't you have any filter? Especially when I'm here?" I hissed and she shrunk back even more. I sent out a flow of calm. I couldn't have her cowering of fear, could I? "Sorry. Come on. My family just had a fight and they don't want me back. Get it?" She nodded feebly.
We found Charlie sitting in the living room, watching TV. I quickly explained my "situation" to him and he grinned a crinkly smile. He was thinking over his options and he was doubting them. I sent out some trust and all that doubt disappeared.
"You can stay here if you'd like," he offered. I thanked him profusely and made my way up to the guest room. Tomorrow would be the real test. Could I possibly get through a day surrounded by so many humans, so many meals?
I thought back to those few weeks where I had gone by the animal diet. I remembered the resistance was hard, but it all started with exposure. And so, as soon as she was asleep, I slipped into Bella's room and stared out into the night, into the starless sky.
Okay, yeah, short chapter, I know, I'm sorry. But most of my chapters are relatively short. This was supposed to go with the last chapter, but I split it up for a reason that I seriously can't recall right now. But it's late and tomorrow's my last day of school- that's my excuse!! Don't yell at Bella's line to Alice, please! She had no idea what to say, the phone was pretty much shoved upon her, she blurted the first things in her mind!