A.N. sorry for the long wait. But this is an extremely important chapter and I want to do it right so I took my time to think about it and I'm not the type of person who starts writing a fanfic chapter and stops and then continues; I start it now, finish it now and upload it now, so I needed to think beforehand. Anyways, I hope you like this. And thank you for the awesome reviews :D You are the best readers in the world :D You have really encouraged me to try and do things perfectly just to please you all! :D

P.S. An awesome reviewer known by the name Im..In. caught my attention. There's a mistake in chapter 6: 'Jasper's POV'

'And I knew then that I would never leave his side. I was hers.' That was supposed to be 'that I would never leave her side'. I did not fix it so that the story wouldn't appear updated thus giving you all false hope of another chapter.

Chapter 8: Flames, Friends and Passion

Jasper's POV

I ran like I had never run before. Somebody or something had taken Bella and she had screamed. I had seen nothing, just her disappearing, and a sickly pale white hand grabbing onto her jacket from the trees. I knew it wouldn't be Edward. Edward would never do something like that. I tried to capture any emotions but all I got was smugness, hatred and the air of vengeance. I had to run faster; if only I had Edward's speed. I followed her muffled screams. What was making her scream so? She might have chosen Edward during her sleep, but I loved her still; more than anything, and I was willing to give my own life just to let her keep her own. And I needed to get there before she was killed. The trees became thinner until I found myself in the old baseball clearing, and there she was in the middle of the clearing crumpled on the floor. I could still make out her heartbeat so she was still alive, but she was emitting fear and hopelessness and a whole lot of love and concern.

"Bella," I said. My heart broke at her sight. She sat up slowly and then looked at me as panic struck her eyes.
"Jasper, run!" she shouted. I ran towards her ignoring her request. She glared at me but did it in a loving manner.
"I can't leave you here," I told her, "What happened?"
"That's not important Jasper," she replied, "Why did you leave? Did I do something wrong before I slept Jazz? I'm sorry. You know I love you, right?"
"Oh Bella," I said. I couldn't stay mad at what had happened when she was this adorable.
"Maybe it was just a dream then," I told her.
"What do you mean?" she asked me. And then I saw her jumping down from a tree branch. Victoria.

Bella's POV

What had he meant about a dream? Had I talked in my sleep? But I was only fighting for him. What could have made him so mad about me defending him and our love? Did he want to give me up? But I couldn't think about it for long because she jumped down from a tree branch and landed gracefully on the ground.

"Jasper, go," I said. I couldn't have him hurt, not now and not ever, "go. Run. I love you."
"No," he told me, "I won't leave you. And she's not alone." True to what he had just said, figures emerged from within the trees. There were about sixteen young vampires, all of them probably younger than me and all of them with blood red eyes. I looked at Jasper, to question him, but he was already crouched down on the floor and snarling.

"Why Cullen," she told him, "I see that Bella has a new protector."
"Leave," he replied, "Or you will regret it."
"No, Victoria wait," I said.

Jasper's POV

Victoria turned to look at the beautiful human who had just spoken the words.
"He's got nothing to do with this. It's my fault that James died so you should kill me. Not him. Please Victoria; not him. I'll go with you. But not him." And I understood the dream, and I felt horrible. I had judged her before she could even explain; she had been dreaming of Edward hurting me and was giving herself up to save me; just like she was doing right here.
"I like your offer," Victoria said, "Step aside cowboy." She pushed me into a tree and ran to Bella before I could get her.
"I love you Jasper," Bella said as she closed her eyes, "Just do it Victoria. Torture me, do whatever you like."
"I like you," she told her. I could feel evil and smugness emanating from Victoria, and pure love and self-sacrifice from Bella.
"Promise you will stay away from them, and kill me without anybody interrupting you," Bella told her.
"That's fine. I just wanted to kill you," Victoria said. Bella lifted her arm and swept her hair to one side and left her neck within reach.
"It's ok, just do it."
I knew this was hard for her, but I knew that she wanted to do it. However, I could not let that happen so I ran at vampire speed until I arrived between her and Victoria.

Bella's POV

He was being protective of me and it made me feel warm. He shielded me from all of them and was about to lunge at her, when two more figures emerged from within the trees. Edward. Jacob.
"Alice saw," Edward said, "And I called him."
"All of you run!" I shouted at them, "Jasper, Edward, Jacob, run. Please! I can't let you guys get hurt!"
"We won't get hurt," Jacob said as he locked eyes with Victoria. I looked at her. She was smiling cruelly. Jasper lunged at the first young vampire and started ripping him to pieces. Jacob proceeded with another and Edward with another. Soon enough there were only a few newborns left and Victoria with her hand clasped over my mouth and her face getting closer to my neck. But I guess she wanted them to see her killing me.
"Edward, get the redheaded leech," I heard Jacob say.
"No Jacob," Edward whispered, "Jasper needs to do that. He needs to know that he is able to protect her. It would hurt him. Victoria is waiting for us to see. He'll have time."

The field was covered in pieces of dead vampire bodies. It had been disturbing, watching my best friend, my ex, and my boyfriend ripping vampires to pieces. I had looked as flesh flew from one side of the field to the next. Jasper was extremely talented at getting rid of these young vampires, and I knew immediately that these were newborns; Jasper had experienced and he was acting like a true soldier; a true protector. Edward could read their minds and so he knew when they were about to attack. Jacob was designed to kill vampires. They were the perfect combination, and it was not long before the field was filled with pieces of vampires. Edward and Jacob started a fire so that they would burn their remains and Jasper looked at me and at Victoria. Just before she reached my neck, I looked into his eyes and sent out waves of love and longing and I received the exact same waves from him. I smiled at him softly, looking into my lover's eyes for the last time.

Jasper's POV

Bella was sending me waves of love and longing and I projected the same thing to her. I knew that Victoria was still not going to bite her yet. She wanted Edward to suffer and she now had the Jacob bonus as well, but I couldn't wait any longer. Before she knew what had hit her, I jumped at her and we started to fight. She moved from one tree to the next and I followed. Her movements were sharp but mine were sharper. I had experience in this field; she had only had experience with humans before, while I knew just how to trick a vampire into being killed. I used my strength to twist her wrists and tore them off of her body so that she couldn't use them. Before long, the rest of her right arm was gone. I knew she was trying to twist my neck and get my head off, but I wouldn't let her. I knew just how she was playing this game. She was going to try it in one go; snap off the head and then dismantle the rest, but I couldn't play it that way. I had to dismantle her bit by bit to make it harder for her so I pushed her onto the floor, knelt down on her abdomen and pulled her legs. She was struggling as she wasn't very strong for a vampire; all she had were her evil schemes; her brain worked well enough, but her body was not as strong as mine. I knew Edward could have helped but I knew that he was letting me be the one to protect Bella this time around. So I looked at him and he nodded at me sending waves of pride. And with that courage inside of me, I snapped her neck, and after one last scream, her head was torn off her body.

Bella's POV

It had all been just flashes of white for me. Jasper and Victoria were taking part in a deathly dance, and I could hear him growl and I could hear her struggle. I knew that Jasper had the upper hand. Jacob and Edward were sitting on either side of me, each of them holding a hand for support. I was so grateful for them. I was so afraid for Jasper. I knew he had the upper hand but what if things became different? I couldn't lose him and I would gladly give myself up just to know that he would be safe. My prayers were answered, when a red flame flew past us and landed onto the ground; Victoria's head. It was disturbing, and I wanted to throw up, but I was too happy that Jasper was safe. I lifted myself off of the ground and ran to him and I sprang onto his body and started kissing him with passion. I had tears in my eyes and I started to cry. I had been so afraid that he would get hurt and here he was safe in my arms.
"I love you sweet pea," he told me.
"I love you too baby," I replied.
"You don't need to be scared. I'm never going anywhere else again."
I held on to him tightly and then he let me go. I looked around me. Victoria's head was visible in the pile of newborns that was burning and the rest of her body parts were somewhere there as well, I was sure. Purple smoke was drifting up into the air and being dispersed within the trees. I looked behind me. Edward and Jacob were staring at us with pain on their faces so I ran to them. I hugged Jacob first, him being my best friend and all, and he held me in his warm embrace. He truly was like a brother to me.
"Thank you Jake," I mumbled. He kissed me on top of my head and then we pulled ourselves apart and he smiled at me.
"And Bells," he said, "I'm happy for you." He motioned with his eyes to Jasper.
"Oh Jake," I replied, "You don't know how much that means to me, coming from you!"
I turned to Edward. I moved closer to him and then I wrapped my arms around his waist and breathed in his scent. I knew that I missed him and everything that we'd had before things had become so messed up. He wrapped his arms around me and held me softly but tight at the same time. I felt sobs coming from deep inside him and I knew that he would be crying, had he been able to.

"Edward," I said, "Thank you so much."
"Don't thank me," he replied, "It was my duty to come here and protect you from that...thing."
"There was a time," I told him, "When you just wanted me to thank you and get over it. Remember?" I attempted to make him laugh and actually got a soft melodious chuckle out of him.
"Of course I remember," he told me, "How could I forget? That determination and stubborn head of yours were one of the things that made me fall in love with you Bella."

I looked at him and smiled sadly.
"Hey," he said, "don't feel bad. You had a right to choose. This is my entire fault anyway. I was stubborn and selfish and I was wrong. I should have seen you as the woman you really are instead of the child I thought you were. I should have known that you were able to choose right from the very beginning."
"Edward, I miss you," I told him, "I really do."
"You...you miss me?" he asked me. There was a flicker of hope in his eyes.
"Yes, I do," I replied, "But...Jasper, he...he's my everything now. And I love him."

Jasper's POV

"Edward, I miss you," she told him, "I really do." My dead heart sank. Maybe I had not misinterpreted the dream after all. I wanted to run away and curl up on my bed, willing for death to come and take over me. I suddenly wished that Victoria had killed me.
"You...you miss me?" he asked her. There was so much hope coming from him; a joy I hadn't felt from him in months.
"Yes, I do," she replied, "But..." Suddenly, I felt his hope dwindle, and mine being elated.
"Jasper," she told him, "he...he's my everything now. And I love him." Nobody could imagine the joy I felt at that very moment and I tried not to project it; I knew that both Edward and Jacob would feel it and I didn't want to make them feel bad. But I couldn't hold it in. I was so happy that my love felt the same way about me.
"I know," Edward told her, "And I don't plan to get in the way. I was thinking of moving to Denali for some time. To clear my head and to allow you some space without the constant worry of having me snooping around your business."

"Edward," she told him, "I don't want you to move away. You belong with us; with your family. I want you to be my friend. We could be best friends Edward, just like I am with Jacob and Alice. We could make it work. I've made it work with Jacob. We both know he's in love with me and still he treats me like a best friend; like a sister – because that's the way I want him to treat me, and we could make it work too."
"It will work," Edward said, "In time. But right now, I need to move away for some time. I just hope Tanya and her sisters will lay off of me."
"It's up to you," she told him, "Just...don't stay away from us for too long. Carlisle and Esme and Alice, they'll be crushed if you don't come back, and let's face it, Emmett adores you as his brother and Rosalie loves you even if she doesn't show it. I don't know about Jasper, but I'm sure he doesn't want you to leave. And just because we're not together anymore, doesn't mean that you're not important to me Edward. I need you here."
"I know," he told her, "And I won't stay away for too long – I promise. Now I should get back to the house, and give you some privacy."

She hugged him and promised that we would follow him soon enough. He sped off into the forest in the direction of our home and then I walked up to Jacob.
"Jacob, brother," I said, "Thank you."
"Brother?" he asked me. A wave of positive surprise reached me.
"Yes," I replied, "Brother. You're Bella's best friend, her brother, and any brother of Bella's is a brother of mine. I hope that in the future, we will be very good friends. I don't want to upset her, and I have taken a liking to you."
"I hope so too. Although tonight something changed between Edward and I, I still feel different about him than I feel about you. No offence, with him being your brother and all, but I think you're better for her. You make her happy. So I'll see you around ... bro." I smiled at him and he patted me on my back, hugged Bella and ran off into the night. Soon, we were on our own, just Bella and me.

And I ran up to her and picked her up into my arms. She wound her legs around my waist and she held my face in her warm and delicate hands. I wrapped my arms around her waist and we shared a passionate kiss. My mouth moved in co-ordination with hers, and I could swear that I could feel her heart beating as if it were my own, and I hadn't felt this good in centuries; I had never felt this good to be honest. I knew I was emitting a lot of happiness, a lot of love and probably some lust so I tried to control my feelings. But I couldn't. She was so beautiful, and warm, and special, and perfect; and I couldn't not want her or not love her. She had become my everything in a matter of days; the sole reason for my existence, and I wouldn't let her out of my life. Her mouth opened and allowed my tongue to enter and it felt better than ever before to be able to kiss her with such fervour. I walked slowly, with our mouths still attached, and soon, she had her back against a tree. She ran her hands through my curls getting them knotted in my blonde hair and I moved my hand along her back and up to her neck where I sheltered my hand within the warmth that her luscious chocolate hair provided.

Bella's POV

It was like electricity had been passed through my body. The moment our lips touched, I felt my soul rising to Heaven. Kissing him was a totally new experience and I liked it. Edward had kissed me with caution and thought, but Jasper kissed me with a gentle, warm and soft passion. I could feel love and happiness coming out in waves and I knew he was trying to stop himself from projecting lust but he couldn't and that was partially my fault; he was feeling my own love and happiness and lust as well, and it was hard to control his feelings with me feeling the exact same way. I wanted him in every way; body and soul and I didn't want to stop.

"I love you Jasper," I mumbled as he let my lips go just so that I could breathe.
"I love you too Isabella," he told me. The way his voice danced around my full name, made my heart beat with an unexpected speed. It was already beating fast enough from our little kiss and I couldn't believe that it had the capability of beating even faster. Had I not known that vampires had dead hearts, I would have claimed that my heart was beating at the speed of a vampire's.
"You're perfect," he whispered.
"Have you checked yourself in the mirror lately?" I asked. He smiled at me and we locked eyes.
"You're so beautiful Jasper," I told him, "I'm so lucky."
"Not as lucky as I am," he replied, "Bella? Your dream...you were telling Edward that you wanted to go with him...not me...that's why I left. What was it about?"
"Oh Jasper," I replied, "You got it all wrong. He was going to kill you, and I let him kill me. I let him take me away with him and I even allowed him to force me into marrying him as long as he didn't hurt you. Now I feel bad; Edward would never do that to us."
"I'm sorry for judging you sweetheart," he told me.
"It's ok," I replied, "You were only hearing half the story; it's not your fault."
"Let's go home baby," he said. He let me down and then scooped me up into his arms and ran off towards the Cullen home. I knew we would have some explaining to do. But right now all that mattered was that Victoria was gone, Edward and Jacob were our friends, and Jasper and I...let's just say we were head over heels in love, and absolutely, totally and eternally unbreakable, inseparable and untouchable.
_I hope you liked that. I'm sorry if the action scene was not so good, but I'm not really an expert on the action of it all. I'm better at expressing their emotions. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Next up: Bella and Jasper tell the Cullen family about their relationship. So stay tuned ^^. I will update soon. Probably tomorrow morning or tomorrow late at night. Maybe even tonight if I have the right feelings to write. Anyway, review :D I love getting your reviews; every single one of them.

Jess xx