Disclaimer: Twilight and all its characters do not belong to me; they belong to the talented Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended.

Previously:

Just then, we saw Charlie's cruiser headlights pulling in the drive. I hadn't even realized that it was dark out. "Shit! Please meet me in my room when Charlie goes to bed." I said as I pushed Jasper to the back door. "I really want to hear the point of this story."

In the kitchen, Jasper kissed my hand, and smirked when my heart sped from the action. What the hell is wrong with me? "I'll be back later, Darlin'." And with that he was gone.

~XXXXX~

JPOV

I waited in the woods while Bella heated some leftover dish for her and Charlie to eat. How was I going to get through this story? Would she believe me? I ran my hands through my hair as I heard my phone beep. I had missed several calls from the pixie-bitch, and Rosalie. I called Rose.

"Jasper! I'm so glad you called! Hold on, I'm running away from the house." After twenty seconds, "Okay. I'm so glad to hear from you, I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Alice is going on and on about how she can't see you anymore, so you must be dead. I was worried you ran into Maria, or pulled a stupid move and went to Italy."

"You should know I'm stronger than that." I growled. "I hope I run into Maria so I can finally take that bitch out. I don't understand why Alice can't see me, I'm still alive, well, undead, anyways." On a random thought, "Maybe it has something to do with Bella."

At Bella's name, I heard a gasp in the background from Emmett. "Does that mean Bella's still alive? Where are you?" I heard him grab for the phone, and also a defined 'ouch' after Rose slapped him.

That made me chuckle. "I am in Forks, I came to say goodbye to Bella, and give Charlie my condolences before I left for Peter and Charlotte's, when I found her alive and well. She is full of A LOT of anger at Edward, but doing well otherwise. I can't explain Alice's visions."

After thinking about it for a minute, I heard a menacing laugh from Rose. "Oooh. Let's fuck with the little bitch! I haven't heard anything from you, and far as I know, Bella is still dead. In the meantime, you go claim your true mate and get your happily ever after. It's not like Assward is around to hear the truth, he's still not talking to Alice either. So you won't have to worry about him showing up."

Good for the meddling little pixie, I thought. No happily ever after for her anytime soon.

I also hear Emmett in the background, "And find out how she's blocking Alice, I want some of that secret mojo! Think of the jokes we could pull on her." I couldn't help but laugh with him.

"Okay Em." I chucked "I need to go hunt real quick, just to be safe. Charlie should be getting ready for bed soon. I'm going to talk to Bella then."

"Alright Jas, I'll call again when I can."

"Kay. Bye." Rose and I may not be real twins, but after years of pretending, we actually formed a special bond, and it felt like we were. I'd do anything for her, and visa versa.

After a quick hunt, and pit stop at the old Cullen mansion to change, I made my way back to the Swan house. I duly noted Bella's faint scent up to Carlisle's study, and things were messy, as if plundered through. I'll have to ask her about that. Charlie was snoring, and I heard Bella getting out of the shower. I waited in the tree outside Bella's open window as to not startle her again.

That plan back-fired.

BPOV

I wrapped the towel around my body and made my way to my room. As I went to put my pajamas on, I heard a rumbling noise from the window. I turned around, and was so shocked at seeing someone in the tree outside my window, that I gasped and dropped my towel.

I was suddenly pinned between Jasper and my door, seeing nothing but his black, lust-filled eyes. Instead of being afraid though, I was extremely turned on. Where the hell is this coming from? All coherent thought left my brain as Jasper's lips met my own. I gasped from the coldness of his tongue across my lips; in which it immediately sought out my own, fighting for dominance. I let him win. I broke away when the lack of oxygen made me dizzy. His mouth descended to my neck and collar bone, leaving open-mouthed kisses. As his hands inched up my sides, giving me goose-bumps, I muttered, "Jasper." barely in a whisper. That was when he froze.

JPOV

Fuck, fuck, shit, fuck! She just smelled so damn good. Control yourself Whitlock! I slowly backed away, keeping my eyes closed. I felt Bella's rejection as I said, "Bella, please get dressed, we have more to talk about." I felt her embarrassment and self-worthlessness as I turned around to give her privacy. As she dressed, I told her, "Bella, I told you once in Phoenix, and I'll tell you again, you are worth it. We just need to get these words out of the way first."

"Whatever." She mumbled, grabbing her hairbrush and sitting on the bed.

I sat behind her, taking the hairbrush from her to take over the task of running it through her hair. "Back to my story," I can't tell it quick enough. I continued, sending waves of calm and love through my fingertips to her scalp. "Edward came home the next day. Alice dragged him to Carlisle's study to talk, since it was the only sound-proof room in the house. Stupid pixie didn't shut the door all the way though." I paused for a moment remembering.

flashback

I don't think they realized I had come home before the rest of the family was done hunting. The others were maybe ten minutes behind me, if that.

"Edward! I'm so glad you're home! Now things can be the way they're supposed to be!"

"What are you talking about Alice?" He seemed exhausted, even though that was impossible.

"Now that Bella is dead, you can get over her, I will leave Jasper, and we can be together."

What? I was stunned more than anything, I was shocked stupid by the statement. That's probably why neither realized I was there, creeping closer to the door.

"WHAT?" I heard the thump of, what I suspected to be, Alice being pinned to the wall. "What do you mean Bella is dead? Us together? What the hell are you going on about?"

"Let me down first." After another thump, and straightening out her clothes, she continued. "I have fulfilled my duty to Maria and kept Jasper from being happy with his mate. Now he will return to her army as her Major, and we can be happy together. I had to throw Bella to you when I knew there was no way around the two of them meeting. I was hoping you would drain her, with her being your singer and all. But no, you had to fall in lust with her." I could see her stomp her foot in my head.

I could almost see Edward pinching his nose as his anger steadily grew stronger. "What do you have to do with Maria? And what do you mean Bella is Jasper's mate? She's mine!"

"Maria is the one that changed me. She said in exchange for my freedom, all I had to do was bring her Jasper, but I needed Jasper to bring me to you first. Just as I was about to finish my end of the bargain, Bella had to go and be born, and changed everything. I couldn't let them be together, he'd never willingly go back to Maria. I told you she was your mate knowing before hand that she would be your blood singer. You were supposed to drain her, not fall in lust. I even set up all those damn dishes knowing you'd throw her into the table, hoping that then you would kill her! It never was love; you know you can't willingly leave your mate. No harm, no foul though. I can no longer see her in my visions, not for weeks now. I'm assuming she is dead. Now I will break Jasper's heart, sending him back to the South, and Maria, and we can be happy, as we were meant to be."

At that I charged into the room, and removed both of her arms before Edward could react. The only thing that saved Alice that day was Esme and Carlisle coming in at just that time to help Edward hold me off. Rose and Emmett were all for letting me go. Carlisle, being the kind soul he is, refused to force Alice from the house and family.

"Fine!" I yelled at Carlisle for the first time ever. "I'll leave. I refuse to be associated to ANYONE who is in debt to that power-hungry whore, Maria." To Alice, I menacingly stated, "If that bitch wants me, tell her to come get me." I left directly after that. To my knowledge, Edward left too, without Alice. Rose told me later on that she said Edward would come back to her eventually; she just had to wait it out.

End flashback

BPOV

Wow, talk about a shocker. I always knew, deep down, I was nothing more than a pet for her amusement; all the time with that damn 'Bella Barbie' bullshit. But I never… "My pendant!" I suddenly shrieked, maybe a bit loud. Clamping my hand over my mouth, I whispered, "Charlie, did I wake him?"

Jasper listened intently for a moment before saying, "He's not snoring anymore, but still in deep sleep." I figured he was sleeping so well with the help of Jasper's influence. "What pendant?" He asked.

I turned in Jasper's lap to show him the necklace I never took off, and recounted the story of how it came into my possession.

"That's an amazing little pendant. It seems to be blocking me from her visions too." I looked at him, confused by that statement when he explained, "I talked to Rose and Emmett earlier. Alice seems to think I'm dead too."

I giggled at this one. "She always did seem to rely too much on her visions. Now that she doesn't have them, of us at least, she's lost." How is my pendant covering Jasper too though? Does that have to do with the mate thing?

Jasper pushed some hair behind my ear and asked, "What's got you confused now, darlin'?" At his southern drawl and pet name, I felt myself blush. I didn't miss the tingles his hand left on my ear either. He just smirked at me, already knowing the answer.

"It's just the whole 'mate' thing." I stumbled for the right words. "You're telling me that we are supposed to be together?" Again, I paused. "How do we know Alice isn't just spouting off more lies to get what she wants?"

"I feel drawn to you. When you first came into our lives, I thought it was the pull of your blood, but I know better now, sugar."

Again, with the butterflies in my stomach. "I knew that the love I thought I felt for Edward was never really returned. I should have known better. It never felt like I was good enough for him."

Jasper growled at this statement. "He was the one not good enough for you!" He said calmly, but full of menace.

I got up and started pacing with all of these new revelations. Jasper just watched me and let me rant. "And if Edward was just listening to Alice and her lies, how am I supposed to be mad at him anymore? He just acted like an ignorant seventeen year old, relying too much on the 'gifts' of others instead of just paying attention. He had to of known we weren't mated to be able to leave me so easily."

I looked at Jasper, and briefly saw the hurt in his eyes, but then it was gone. "Alice had us all fooled."

"Jasper," I sat next to him and grabbed his hand in mine. "You have to know that I do not want Edward back. He never loved me, not like he said he did, I know that now. I believe that he thought he loved me simply because I am his singer, and he was attracted to the mystery of my mind."

Jasper smiled so big it reached his eyes. I laid my hand across his cheek to feel the electrical pull again. "You feel it too?" He all but whispered.

"Yes." He was slowly leaning in to kiss me when something else popped into my mind. "Wait! Who's Maria? And why does she want you?"

JPOV

Oh, God. This was the deal breaker here. She's going to learn about my past, and that's the end before we even get started. Hesitantly, I asked, "Do you have to be awake early for work or anything tomorrow? It's Sunday, so no school, it's just another long story, and I don't want to keep you."

"Nope," she said popping the 'p'. "nothing to do all day tomorrow. It's only a quarter after eleven. So, let me get comfy, and you can start."

I just nodded as she crawled under the covers and got situated on her side. I went to move into the chair by the window, but she patted the bed next to her. I opted for the bottom of the bed instead, not knowing if she would want to be that close to me after hearing all the horrible things I had done. She felt a little disappointment, but nodded her head letting me know to start.

I told her of how I was born in 1844, and joined the Confederate army in 1861 at the age of seventeen. I told her of stumbling upon Maria, Nettie, and Lucy. I felt her disgust and anger while I told of being changed and my job in the newborn army, and the removal of Nettie and Lucy. She felt sorrow when I told of disposing of the newborns at the one year mark, and awe when I talked of finding a companion in Peter. I explained how when Charlotte was up for execution, I felt the love between the two as Peter jumped to protect her from me, and I let them go.

"It was about five years later that Peter came back for me. He told me of peace in the north. I went with him without a second glance back."

When I talked about being depressed and going on my own, I felt Bella's sadness. That suddenly changed to a spike of jealousy as I mentioned Alice finding me though. I smirked at her before she blushed with embarrassment.

After I finished, we were silent for a few minutes. "Well, Sugar, it's going on two in the morning. I'll go and let you sleep. If you want me to come back tomorrow, here's my number." I went to put a piece of paper on her nightstand with my number on it when she reached out for my arm.

"Don't go." She whispered.

"But I felt your disgust, anger and sorrow. Why do you want me to stay?"

"Silly vampire," she giggled. "You're an empath, not a mind-reader. I felt disgust and anger at Maria for bringing you into that kind of life, and sorrow for all of the lives that didn't need to end. Didn't you feel my pride for you willingly leaving?" I let her pull me closer to her, sitting on the bed. "You lead a horrible life for years, yes, but you had no choice at the time. When Peter gave you the chance, you took it. You chose to leave that life, you chose to not feed from humans anymore. The life you lived did nothing but make you into the strong, caring, wonderful man you are today."

At the end of her speech, I was overwhelmed with the love and pride coming from her. "Please don't go. Stay with me tonight. Neither of us can deny this pull we feel."

I smiled and let her pull me down to lie next to her, and kissed her forehead. "Thank you, sweetheart."

"For what?" She yawned.

"For accepting me for who I am." She was out before I finished the sentence. I sent her calming waves all night, just enjoying having her in my arms. For the first time ever, everything felt right.

XXXXX

A/N: I hope you all enjoy. Please review. Let me know of any confusions.