A/N: REVISED 6/5/13

Previously...

***VOTING RESULTS

Edward- No (obviously...uggh jerk. lol)

Esme- Yes (duh!)

Jasper- Yes (yay)

Emmett- Yes (aw perfect big brother)

Alice- No (bitch. haha)

Rosalie- Yes (nice change from the real book right?)

Carlisle- Yes (Edward might have some competition for dad's favorite...lol)

"Bella? Are you okay? Can I get you anything?" Esme asked through the door, sounding like concerned parent.

"No. I'm fine." I croaked back, immediately clearing my throat after. She got to sound angelic while I sounded like a dying cat. Great, as if I wasn't already self-conscious about a family of vampires with super-hearing listening to me while I puke my guts out.

I groaned in embarassment and rested my feverish forehead against the pleasantly cool wall. Stupid Emmett and his stupid ideas.

"Bella?" Esme called again, probably hearing my noise of discontent.

"I'm fine!" I said in a normal voice, knowing she would hear. Again, Super-hearing.

Damn, when were those aspirins going to start working? I had taken two of the tiny pills about ten minutes ago to help with my pounding headache, but alas the headache remained.

I closed my eyes and thought about what had gotten me into this position. Two days ago, after the meeting about the possibility of my change, Emmett had decided that I needed to have what he called 'human-only' experiences before I was a vampire. So that's why I'm currently sitting on the Cullen's bathroom floor, eyes burning, throat aching, head pounding, and stomach hurting. I felt like crap, and I probably looked like it too. At least so far everyone was abiding by my wishes and letting me suffer through this out alone.

Too exhausted to stand up, I curled up on the fluffy rug on the bathroom floor and rested my eyes. Sighing in relief, since my stomach seemed calm for now, I relaxed and drifted off to sleep, dreaming about what had caused me to end up passing out on the bathroom floor...

"I can't believe you got her drunk!" Rosalie hissed, smacking Emmett upside the head.

"What? I didn't want my favorite sister to miss out on any important human things!" Emmett whined, pouting.

"You know Edward is going to kill you when he finds out." Jasper pointed out wryly, glancing at me.

"So? I think I can take him." Emmet said confidently, cracking his fists

"I'll help!" I cheered, excited. I think he needs some payback for what he did with the Alice. He's gotten off way too easy.

"...Yeah I don't think so Bella." Emmett responded, looking at me weirdly.

"But why not?"

"Because he could snap your neck with a flick of his wrist." Rose said nonchalantly as she looked at her nails.

"Way to be blunt Rose." Jasper said, rolling his topaz eyes. They were pretty today. Like diamonds.

"Please, you should be used to it by now." Aphrodite scoffed, flipping her golden blonde hair over her shoulder. Her hair was shiny under the lights. I like Rose's hair, I wish my hair was pretty and shiny like hers.

"Thanks Bella." Rose said smiling at me, while Emmett laughed loudly, and even Jasper cracked a smile.

Oh. I guess I said that out loud. I just giggled with them, not getting what was funny and reached for another glass.

"Bella. Bella wake up. Bellllaaa!"

"Ughh." I groaned, returning from dreamland, my eyes cracking open with great effort on my part.

"And sleeping beauty awakens." A voice said. I think it was Jasper, but I can't be too sure; I could barely open my eyes, yet alone comprehend anything right after waking up from what must have been a very deep sleep.

I squeezed my eyes shut again, and rolled over on my side willing all the voices to go away.

"I don't think she's fully awake yet." A tinkling voice announced, sounding amused and not at all remorseful about waking me up. Thanks Rose.

It was WAY too early for laughter...or talking, or being awake.

"I think I can help with that!" A deep voice boomed before I was suddenly exposed to bitingly cold air, the warmth of my blanket disappearing onto the floor where Emmett threw it. Unfortunately, leaving me curled up on the bed uncovered and freezing my ass off.

"Just because the rest of you don't need sleep, doesn't mean I don't." I grumbled, grabbing a pillow and covering my face with it to block out the light and the noise.

"Wake up sunshine!" Emmett boomed, making me groan in pain. Too loud…

I yanked the pillow off my face and jumped out of the bed, only to trip over the sheets. Internally cursing at whatever made me this unbelievably clumsy, I glared at the three vampires in the room.

"Why exactly did you guys wake me up?" I hissed, clutching my forehead and feeling light-headed.

"You had been asleep for fourteen hours Bella. Sleeping for any longer would have seriously messed up your sleeping pattern." Rose said pointedly.

"And how did I get into the bed anyways? One second I'm laying down in the bathroom and the next thing I know I'm waking up in a bed." I asked, reminding them of their promise to leave me the hell alone while I was sick. I raised my eyebrows at the three of them, who all looked guiltless back at me.

"We didn't mean to upset you Bella, but when we realized you had fallen asleep we thought it would be best if we moved you. Believe me, you do not want to wake up with a hangover and back pain from sleeping on the floor. Trust me darlin'." Jasper said from where he stood leaning against the wall beside the bed.

Only starting slightly at the term of endearment, I reluctantly nodded in understanding and apologized for overreacting.

"No problem Bella, just promise to try and not verbally attack us next time we try to help you." Emmett teased, ruffling my hair.

I rolled my eyes and turned to Jasper.

"Since this is your room do you mind if I used your bathroom to take a shower?" I asked.

"Yeah sure." He agreed pushing off the wall and heading for the door after Rose and Emmett.

"Thanks." I called. Then, seeing him nod, I gathered my things to go take a shower.

Today's looking like it's going to be a good day, it certainly can't be any worse than the past few anyways.

"Oh and Bella."

I turned. "Yeah, Jasper?"

"If you didn't mind, after you finish with your shower I would like to speak with you privately." He requested, his dark-golden eyes locked on mine.

I laughed, unable to help myself, and he cocked his head at me.

"I'm glad I could amuse you Bella. But what exactly did I say that was so funny?" He asked lightly, his eyes full of amusement.

"Nothing. It's just, you don't have to sound so formal Jasper." I smiled at him and walked over to the blonde vampire in front of me. "We're friends now, which means you don't have to talk to me as if I'm your boss."

He rolled his eyes at my teasing. "Yes ma'am."

"Hey! What did I just say?"

"Oh, right. Sorry Bella, my friend whom is not in any way superior to me." He said, humoring me.

"Wait a second, I never said that." I teased before going back to the bathroom. "Talk to you in a second Jasper."

Glancing back I saw him shaking his head, a slight grin playing at his lips as he left the room.

I was right. This was going to be a great day.

(A/N: Sooo tempted to end it there...but i decided that I owed you guys a longer chapter. lol)

I set my clothes on the marble sink counter and turned on the shower mechanically, immersed in my thoughts.

I was happy that Jasper and I were getting closer. When I had been with Edward I never had the chance to even start to develop a relationship with Jasper. First, there was the fact that Edward was overbearing and was reluctant to let me be around Jasper. His overprotective nature only increased after my 18th birthday, when Jasper had lunged at me.

But I didn't blame Jasper. I mean, I had cut my finger which made Edward think that for some reason he had to dramatically push me into a glass table. Which ended up causing me bleed more, only making things worse. And I had a theory about that. Since Jasper had to feel everyone's emotions, did that mean he could feel their bloodlust too? I mean my whole freaking arm was bleeding. It affected every vampire in the room. But if my theory is correct, that means Jasper not only had to feel his own desire for my blood, but everyone else's.

I would have to talk to him about that, because if it was true then maybe it would help relieve some of his guilt about it. Because I could tell it still bothered him that he had been the only one to react that badly to my blood being spilt. And I would have to make him see that it wasn't anyone's fault, especially since he was acting on pure instinct alone. Jasper wouldn't intentionally attack me. And even though we weren't that close when it happened, I knew it then too. That I was safe with him, I mean. That's why I could forgive him so easily, because there was nothing to forgive.

I rinsed out my hair and turned off the water. Wrapping a towel around myself, I rung the water out of my hair and slipped on the jeans and red band t-shirt I had set out. I ran a brush quickly through my tangled brown locks and wrapped the towel back up in my hair before stepping back into Jasper's room.

After glancing around the room I saw that he was lying on the bed with his eyes closed. I stared at him for a second, taking the chance to run my eyes over him. Hell, I might be in the process of filing for a divorce, but that didn't mean I couldn't appreciate beauty.

Jasper's lips twitched, his eyes staying closed, and I immediately blushed. I really should be used to having to hide my emotions by now.

"You wanted to talk?" I said before he could mention me ogling him. He was Alice's husband. Or ex-husband? I wasn't really sure, but the point was that I knew Jasper as Edward's brother. That's how he was introduced to me, and that's how I saw him. Right?

"Yeah, but not in here." He said rising and leading me down the hall to another room Edward hadn't included on the tour he gave me on my first visit here.

Jasper paused at the door with his hand on the knob.

"My room." He explained, before opening the door and leading me inside.

"Wow." I breathed, my eyes flickering over the tall shelves of books on one side of the wall. If Edward's room was a music store, then Jasper's room was a library.

He chuckled at my reaction and shut the door. "I thought we'd have more privacy in here."

I looked at him questioningly. Had he forgotten that the occupants of this house all had supernatural hearing? I didn't matter how far away from the others we were, they would still hear.

"Sound-proof walls." He said tapping one of them.

"Nice." I said appreciatively. How come all of the rooms didn't have this? It would sure be useful, with the clear lack of privacy in this house, even if it didn't block against their gifts.

I ran my hand along one horizontal shelf of books before sitting down on one of the chairs in the corner of the room. Taking it as an invitation, Jasper sat on the black leather seat across from me and I waited for him to speak.

As much as I wanted to deny it, I had no idea what to say to the vampire in front of me. I didn't really know anything about him besides his past life. Which I didn't have many details of, just a basic story of what happened. Jasper was an enigma. He was older than everyone in the Cullen family, with the exception of Carlisle. He had seen and done so many things, and I was only eighteen. It was surreal to imagine living, or existing, for that long.

Then I realized something I had missed earlier.

"Why did you call this place 'your room'? I mean I thought the other room was the one you stayed in. You know the one you shared with...'' I trailed off awkwardly, regretting bringing up something that could cause painful thoughts about Alice.

"Don't hesitate to ask me anything okay? I'm not going to lose it if you say Alice's name Bella." He rolled his eyes, and predictably, I blushed.

"And I referred to it as my room because it actually reflects who I am. And I like to spend my time here whenever I can." He explained motioning to the walls where my eyes automatically looked.

"Is that-?"

"A real flag from the Civil War." He finished my thought looking at it with an unidentifiable emotion on his face. "It was the one that flew when I lead my troop for the last time before I was changed."

"So how old exactly is that?" I asked awe-struck. I had no idea Jasper would keep something like this in the Cullen's house.

"April 12, 1861. Which makes that very flag exactly 148 years old."

"Jasper, that's amazing." I said in awe, turning my eyes back to him when I heard a scoff.

"What? I think it is." I responded defensively, crossing my arms.

"No, no. It's just that out of everyone I've showed this to you were the most positive about it." He explained. "And if I would have known that you would have had this reaction, I would have showed you it long ago."

"Why didn't you?" I questioned, anxious to hear his answer.

"He thought it would bring up unpleasant thoughts and questions." Jasper said, his tone showing his distaste for the choice.

"Edward." I said knowing it was my overprotective ex who Jasper was referring to. "But what do you mean I was the most 'positive' about it?"

Jasper chuckled lightly before responding. "Well let's see...Carlisle wanted me to turn it in to a museum. Alice wanted to get rid of it and buy a new one that didn't come with all the dirt and holes. Rose really didn't have an opinion about it. Edward was unenthusiastic because of the death the war where it flew caused. Emmett wanted to reenact the whole battle vampire style. And I think it almost made Esme cry."

"Okay I see what you mean." I said, grinning at each of the Cullen's predictable reactions.

Jasper sighed drawing my attention back to him.

"What?"

"Carlisle said he wanted you to go to his office after I spoke with you. I guess we'll have to postpone this conversation until a later time." Jasper said wryly.

"Or we can ditch the meeting and run away." I suggested grinning, and successfully improving his mood.

"Where would we go?" He asked playing along, his gold eyes shining.

"Texas of course." I said immediately, chuckling at the surprised look on his face.

I had just caught a vampire off-guard. I smirked inwardly, feeling pretty accomplished.

"Why exactly?" Jasper questioned, his eyes serious and probing now.

"Because Jasper, even if all your memories from there aren't the happiest, it's still where you were born. Well that and I've always secretly wanted to learn to ride a horse." I confessed, expecting laughter from him. He didn't disappoint.

"As much as I would love to continue talking about our escape to Texas, Carlisle is will be at the door in a few seconds if you don't head down to his office." He said, standing and opening the door for me.

"Oh right. Well, talk to you later Jasper." I called, turning and walking down the hall.

"Bella."

I turned back around, from where I stood half way down the hallway.

"I might just take you up on that idea of yours." He said with a wink, before disappearing back into his room.

A/N: You can all celebrate because I finally updated! And as always review for a preview of the next chapter :)) But make sure the review is for the most recent chapter or you won't get the message. THANKS SO MUCH!