A/N: sorry guys for the long wait! I have exams. This chappy is dedicated to my amazing mom who I kinda like freaked her out a few days ago lol. I love you mom!

BIG THANKS TO MEGAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Recap:

Her eyes finally shifted, sadness blending with the gold. I smiled sadly, letting her know that I realized my mistake.

So I corrected myself, "Masen. Isabella Masen."

5. Instructions

Why did he have to be so understanding and considerate? If he wasn't I wouldn't have felt so bad about keeping secrets from him. Even when I'm attempting to keep Edward safe, I always hurt him in the long run. Perhaps as a vampire I am monster.

I snatched the phone out of my front pocket, pleased that I was now able to multi-task. As a human this would have been nearly impossible. I punched in Jasper's numbers and held my breath as the forest flew by in a collage of greens and grays.

He answered on the first ring.

"Bella?"

His voice was rushed.

"Is Alice okay? Where is she? Why did she leave?...." His voice was demanding and broken.

"Whoa, wait a second," I said to stop his flow of questions.

"I'm sorry," he murmured frustrated, "I've just never felt so... helpless."

And he did sound helpless. Never had I thought it possible for Jasper to loose his cool so completely. Apparently all of my assumptions were wrong these days.

"I'm sorry Jasper. I know this is weird but...." I tried to think of a way to tell him this without feeling awkward but gave up and just spit it out."Do you think you can meet me now?... alone? Please?"

He was silent for a moment. Probably taken aback. Jasper and I were on very good terms now that I could be more like a friend and less like a snack. But our friendship was new. I had never actually been with him alone. This would be strange but under the circumstances we would have to muddle through it.

"Why?" he asked confused, almost desperately, after a moment of silence.

I wish I knew...

"I'll explain everything when I see you."

He paused for another long moment, "I'm not sure Bella..."

"Look Jasper, Alice told me that I had to see you now. I will tell you everything when I see. I'll tell you why she left but please come first and I –"

"You promise you'll tell me why she left and where she is?" he interrupted.

I hesitated for a moment, "Um well. I don't know where she is, I just know why," I admitted.

"Where do I meet you?" He breathed. I could hear the wind slapping against the exterior of his cell phone. He was already running.

"Um… How about six miles south from the 'Paper lantern' café?" I was in front of the small, yellow lighten building.

"I'll be there." The line went dead.

I shoved the phone back into my pocket and pushed my legs to run faster and in a second I was on a deserted land. Nothing but rocks and sand around me. I stood there alone anxiously waiting for Jasper to come or for Alice to call. Jasper came first.

"What is it?" he asked once he was in front of me.

His hair was a mess; windblown. But it was more than that, almost like he'd been tugging at it all day. His eyes were dark, but I knew it wasn't from thirst.

"Um…" I was stuck. Alice was suppose to call me. I could give him more information. And as if she could hear my thoughts, my phone vibrated against my hip. Jasper's eyes shifted towards the device and I could see his fingers flinch, longing to snatch it up.

I did instead.

"It's about time," I mumbled to her.

"Is he with you?" She asked. Jasper's jaw tightened, hearing her voice. His too dark eyes smoldered.

"Alice," he breathed through tight lips.

"Hey, Jazzy. I'm so sorry I left so suddenly, but I promise I'll explain in a minute. Okay, now Bella," she turned her attention to me, "you know that your power is a shield, correct?"

"Yes," I whispered. Watching Jasper's eyes as they stared intently at the phone in my hand.

"But did you know that there's a way to... distribute you're power?"

"Excuse me?" I asked confused.

"If you cut it into smaller pieces you can separate each piece from yourself and distribute it to another. Meaning, that you could give someone a piece of your own shield. It would shield them as if it's theirs. This piece will be completely separated from the rest of your shield, like it was never there in the first place." She explained quickly.

"Smaller pieces," I murmured, letting the idea churn around in my mind. "Alice how would that help Jasper?"

"Demetri, Bella!"

The churning in my mind halted. Oh! Demetri is the one we should be worried about. And now I see how I can help, if he can't find their minds, he can't get here.

"Bella you need to do it now. They will start looking for Jasper soon," she warned, "I can see it."

"How?" I asked quickly.

"Put the phone on the ground," she ordered. I obeyed, I put the small expensive device on the ground just beside my left foot. Jasper's eyes followed it.

"Ok, now, follow my instructions carefully," She murmured and Jasper's eyes shifted to mine.

"Bella, put your palm against the small of Jasper's back."

I looked at Jasper apologetically, his face was stiff but he nodded. He lifted his arms a bit so that my arm could wrap around his waist. My palm pressed into his back. Carefully trying to only touch his back and that there was no touching between his waist and my arm.

"Got it," I confirmed.

"Now, press your right palm against his left one," I could hear that she had her teeth gritted but I didn't comment on that.

I took a deep breath and looked at Jasper with another apologetic expression. I cocked my head indicating that I wanted him to lift his left palm up. He sighed and lifted his left hand. I gently pressed my right palm against it. Anyone from afar would have thought we were slow dancing, but it was very very uncomfortable. I didn't like it at all. I wished he was Edward.

"He'd better not be enjoying this," I heard Alice mumble. We both chuckled.

"Okay, now. Bella I want you to concentrate on pulling your shield from both sides. Pushing it to the end of both your hands" she instructed.

I closed my eyes to concentrate. I searched for the elastic band and held onto both it's sides. I started to pull it gently. It wasn't as hard as it used to be in the beginning. It was almost as easy as breathing. Almost.

"Now, lean your forehead against either his forehead or chest," she instructed in a business like tone.

"Alice" we both whined.

"Hey I'm no more happy than you guys, about this" she snapped.

I sighed. Of course my power would somehow involve awkward not-really-intimate actions.

I almost felt guilty. It felt like I was betraying Edward even though I wasn't. I was only doing all this for him.

I hesitantly leaned my forehead on Jasper's forehead, because it was closer, pulled the elastic band harder until I could feel the electricity scorch through my veins to my fingertips. I pushed the shield from my fingers to Jasper.

"Okay, Alice," I said through gritted teeth, trying to hold the concentration. "What now?"

"Let go" She said simply.

"Let go?" I asked confused.

"Exactly."

I did as she said and I felt it. I felt my shield being ripped, I felt it lighter than before. It pulled back with a snap that took my breath away. And I was falling.

"Bella!" Jasper said alarmed as he caught me.

"Don't worry," Alice chirped, "it's just a reaction to her shield being ripped. Bella, you'll be fine in a few moments."

Jasper laid me on the ground gently and sat cross legged beside me. "Are you okay?" he whispered gently.

"I dunno, I …just… feel…so…tired…." I breathed, but talking hurt so I stopped. A second later I realized breathing hurt as well so I stopped that too.

"Is anyone going to explain anything to me?" Jasper murmured finally.

"Alice," I whispered, wincing.

And she told him everything. I just closed my eyes and tried to distract myself, I didn't want to hear the vision again. And I definitely didn't want to see Jasper's expression when he found out.

"Why didn't you let Bella shield you too?" Jasper asked once he found his voice.

"I need them to keep looking for me. I need to keep giving them a false lead," Alice said, her voice seeping with determination.

"Then why not shield Edward from the beginning?"

"Because if Edward just disappears they'll know that we know what they have in mind, and they'll think of something else."

Jasper was quiet and so was Alice. My head was pounding.

"I need to get back to Edward. He's…probably so…worried...I can't …be later than..this..." I wanted to laugh at my broken pathetic sentence but I didn't have enough energy. Never in my existence as a vampire had I felt tired or dizzy, but I was now.

What did Alice do to me?

"Can you get there on your own?" Jasper asked softly.

"Not…sure."

"I'll help you, but what will Edward think?" He asked worried.

"He…promised…won't…ask. And now…you're protected…he can't…read your mind…"

Jasper nodded.

I faintly heard him saying goodbye to Alice and the small click of the cell phone closing. I felt his arm wrap around my shoulders and then his hand slipped into mine, helping me up.

"There you go," Jasper said as he helped me walk. "And Bella?"

"Yes?" I whispered.

"Thank you" he said gratefully, "for shielding me."

I smiled weakly, "You're my brother, Jazz….no…need…to thank…me. Anytime, really," I murmured, feeling drowsy and absolutely intoxicated.

"I'll owe you forever" he squeezed my shoulder, as we paced back home.

"You…don't."

EPOV

I was sitting reading a book, trying to kill time as I waited for my Bella to get back. I was getting edgy by the second. What was taking her so long? What could she be doing? Why Jasper? I was a breath away from going absolutely mad when I heard two pairs of footsteps nearing the house. Accompanying the footsteps were scents. Bella and Jasper.

"Better or worse?" I heard Jasper's voice whisper to her. I frowned, just then realizing that one pair of footsteps seemed to be dragging. No! I was at the front door in a second, ripping open the door. I was met with the sight of Bella leaning haphazardly against Jasper's shoulder.

"Bella," I breathed, reaching for her. I immediately dove into my mind, trying to find Jasper's train of thoughts. My gaze flickered towards his when I found none.

I promised her no questions though. So I locked my jaw into place and took her into my arms.

"Thank you, Jasper."

For a moment his eyes were apologetic but his face smoothed over into a blank mask quickly. He nodded and disappeared.

I closed the front door and scooped Bella up into my arms. A string of questions were just aching to seep past my lips but I ignored the urge, instead opting to run up the stairs. I appeared in our bedroom and laid Bella on the bed, climbing in beside her and pushing back loose strands of hair that had obscured her face from me.

"What happened?" I finally whispered with no hope of getting a decent answer. I was right in keeping my hopes down.

''Don't worry, I'm fine," She mumbled in a voice that told me she was in no way whatsoever fine.

I sighed and gave her a gentle kiss before pulling her into my arms. I tucked her head under my chin. Hoping that I could know what was going on, that I could protect her from the unknown.

A/N: an extra long chapter as an apology. So sorry guys, but I hope you liked it.

Megan's A/N: I take total blame for the wait on this chapter. I'm so slow its mind numbing :X Anyway, keep reading and reviewing :) It makes the currently sad Edward smile :D