A/N: So, I've had a pretty horrible day. I've been pretty much inseparable from my iPhone since I bankrupted myself to afford it three years ago. My whole life is on it. Today when I left my desk at work for a couple of minutes, some guy walked in to reception and took my phone from where it was in the iPod dock. So after a lot of crying, and hours spent making statements to police, and talking to the phone company and insurance company, I'm now using my old Motorola. I have to re-learn how to text the old fashioned way until I can afford a new iPhone (and no... I'm an iPhone girl. I won't buy a Galaxy no matter how much other people like them :P ).

So, posting this will hopefully make me feel a lot better. Re-reading the chapter has sure helped at lot. Almost made me as happy as writing it the first time did. Because it's one of my favourite chapters so far (and the longest!). I hope you guys like it as much as I do. :)

Thanks to my betas. You guys rock.

I spent the night on a dust-ridden bed in another anonymous motel with Bella curled up next to me. Both her hands gripped my shirt tightly as she dreamed. When I heard my name being whispered in her unconscious state, I could only hope it was a good thing.

I worried that even with our bond she would begin to associate me with fear and trauma. It was a legitimate fear, I thought – since I had come into her life, it had been filled with drama: from Edward's reaction on her first day, to almost being killed by a car, and now running for her life. I wanted there to be more happy memories of our time together to cancel out the bad ones. An idea slowly began to take shape in my mind as her heart rate began to increase, signaling her impending waking.

"Good morning, sweetheart," I greeted her as her eyes fluttered open.

"Morning." Her voice was croaky from disuse and she covered her mouth with her hand before clearing her throat.

I leaned forward and kissed her dusky pink lips, which were soft and pliable beneath my own. Just as she relaxed, however, she pulled back.

"I probably have terrible breath," she protested. "This will be better once I've brushed my teeth."

"I think you smell great. I want to taste you not your toothpaste."

"How do I know whether you're just saying that so I'll kiss you again, or if you're telling the truth?"

"Scouts' Honor. It's the truth."

She slapped me playfully. "You were never a Boy Scout. They weren't even invented when you were a boy."

"You caught me," I laughed.

Before she could protest further, I pulled her back against me and kissed her soundly again. She truly did taste better this way than if she had brushed. That was likely specific to the vampire/human thing though. I heard humans didn't appreciate 'morning breath.'

To prove my point, once she was comfortable with the kissing, I pried her lips open with my tongue and let it creep slowly into her mouth. She didn't protest at all, and she tasted divine. Her eyes fell closed, her emotions filled with pleasure, and her blood rushed faster through her veins.

I felt her soft tongue hesitantly moving against mine, but when it began to push forward, I pulled back reluctantly.

"My teeth are really sharp and you could cut yourself very easily on them," I explained between kisses to her forehead and down her hairline. "To avoid any accidents, it's probably best if your tongue doesn't get too close to them. I don't know exactly what would happen, but it would surely hurt you if you cut yourself."

"That seems rather one-sided."

"Maybe. We know by now that I'm very protective of you."

"Yes, I'm aware." She smiled at me and traced along my cheek and chin with a finger. "Excuse me. I need to clean up."

I watched her leave until the door closed behind her, and then flopped onto my back, staring at the ceiling. I was walking a fine line and knew I had to be careful with her. It would take practice for both of us to learn where the boundaries were in our physical relationship. I needed to keep careful control of my actions to ensure her safety. But I wasn't stupid enough to think we could be in such close quarters constantly and not experiment a little bit. We were both teenagers—physically—and couldn't be expected to remain completely chaste when confronted with our mate.

I listened carefully to her movements in the bathroom. Her breathing was heavy and heart rate was slightly elevated still. I heard her slap both her hands on the vanity and guessed she was looking in the mirror.

"Oh, God," she said to herself with a moan. I couldn't help but be pleased she was affected by my kisses.

She didn't make a move for several minutes, but then I heard her sigh. This was followed by the sound of her clothes hitting the floor and the shower turning on. I tried not to imagine how she looked at that moment – the thought wouldn't be good for me right now.

By the time she returned to the room I had dressed.

"So, do you know where we're going today?" she asked as she brushed out her hair, her scent wafting around the room.

"Actually, I thought we'd change it up today."

She looked at me, curious.

"I thought we could take advantage of this town, and I could take you on our second official date. If that pleases you, of course."

She blushed lightly and put down her brush. "Of course that would please me. You don't think we need to be driving farther away?"

"No, I thought that if we purchased you a pillow, you could comfortably sleep in the car tonight while I drive. The roads will be quieter during the night, and it's not like I need to sleep."

She readily agreed.

"So, where are we going?" A foot of snow had accumulated around the car, and I was walking around the vehicle kicking the build-up away.

I had flipped through some brochures in the lobby earlier as Bella had been getting a pre-packaged muffin from the vending machine. "Well, most of the activities around here are outdoors and it's too cold for that, but I've found a couple of things in honor of the first place we met."

"Lunch?"

"No, history class."

"Oh! Right. I knew that."

I thought it was very gentlemanly of me to assist her into the car—we were on a date, after all—but Bella just rolled her eyes at my efforts. Some girls just didn't appreciate a good man when they had one.

Once we made it to the Visitors' Center, we had a few minutes to wait for our tour to begin. I tried to take advantage of the situation by pressing Bella up against the wall and peppering her face with kisses. The fingers of both our hands were intertwined, which was the only way to stop my hands from wandering up her hips and further up her torso.

"Jasper, stop it," she hissed when my mouth descended to her neck. "We're in public."

"There's nobody around." I resumed my attack on her smooth, white neck. I could see and feel the blood flowing only millimeters from my lips, but it wasn't affecting me at all. It could have been liquid gold for all I cared—I wasn't interested one bit. Now, the woman who had sold us our tickets earlier, she was a different story. I could have easily drained her if I wasn't committed to this lifestyle.

I made a mental note to hunt sometime very soon.

"That's not the point," Bella continued. "Anybody could walk in here at any time." To prove her point, the little bell jangled above the door as an older couple walked in.

I reluctantly pulled away from her and leaned casually against the wall next to her, keeping one hand entwined with hers.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Miss Swan. I'm being the perfect gentleman over here."

She rolled her eyes at me. "Sure you are."

I knew I was acting somewhat like a Casanova, but I had hormones too. And those hormones were driving me wild. It had been weeks since I had had sex. That was a really long time for me. As much as I didn't want to view Bella in a lascivious manner, it was difficult to not want to be more intimate with my true mate. If we had met when both of us were vampires, I am sure we wouldn't have come out of the bedroom for weeks.

Our tour guide finally began talking and led us down a narrow stairway. "Over a hundred years ago, illicit businesses began operating here underground—a good way for the more genteel townsfolk to turn a blind eye to the less savory parts of society. There were saloons, brothels, opium dens… quite the thriving community. Then when the fire of 1904 destroyed the whole above-ground town, many legitimate businesses relocated to underground premises so they could continue operating without having to wait for the town to be rebuilt. This brought legitimacy to the underground mall and cleaned it up a bit."

Bella wasn't feeling bored, which I was greatly pleased about. She was actually interested in the recreated stores and tableaux. I couldn't help but be thrilled that we seemed to share similar interests. Because this type of exhibit was right up my alley. Her interest here made me feel a bit better about the other activity I had planned for later.

"I wish we had a camera. This stuff is awesome," Bella whispered. She was watching the other couple, who were very snap happy, ahead of us as we wandered from store to store.

"I can run back up to the gift shop and buy you a disposable if you want."

"No, it's okay. I'll survive." She wrapped her arms around one of mine as if she were hugging it. It felt great having her snuggled up against my side as we explored.

"Did you like it?" I asked her as we ascended back to street level.

"Oh, yes." She nodded enthusiastically. "It's fascinating. When you see the little town, it looks so normal and innocuous. Then you see practically a whole other town is hidden under it."

I smiled at her and kissed the side of her head. "Maybe when all this is over, I can take you to the one in Seattle."

"There's something like this there?"

"Well, it's quite different, but the whole 'underground city' thing is there. What was your favorite part of this one?"

"Don't think badly of me," she warned.

"Why would I think badly of you?"

She blushed. "I liked the bordello best. It was so fancy. All those beautiful fabrics and furniture. It was like being in a rich person's house."

"That's not a bad thing to admit. I liked it too."

"I just wonder if that was an accurate recreation. You don't think of whorehouses as being like that."

I pulled her closer to me. "I would guess it was pretty accurate. There were a wide range of levels of brothel—obviously depending on how much the girls cost. Some were extremely up-market—more than this one, even."

Bella pulled her head back to look me directly in the face.

"You sound very knowledgeable on the subject. Like you've been to a lot of them."

I checked her emotions, and she seemed a little bit amused by the revelation, so I didn't bother to deny it. "I'll admit to having frequented a few houses of disrepute during my time." I lowered my voice to stop anyone overhearing us. "Before my change, that is."

She still didn't seem angry at my admission.

"It was common back then," I reminded her. "In fact, my father took me to my first one when I was sixteen. He insisted I needed to learn about women from the experts."

Bella laughed out loud. "So, you're a bit of an expert, then?"

I shrugged casually. "I wouldn't call myself an expert. Please don't hold this against me, but you need to remember that I was around for 100 years before you were even born."

She smiled and pecked me on the cheek. "It's okay, Jasper. When you told me how old you were it was pretty obvious that you're not exactly a virgin. It's fine. As long as you're not with anyone while you're with me, I can accept it."

I was filled with relief. I wouldn't want to have to spend the rest of my existence trying to get her to forgive me. And it sounded like she wouldn't be too mad when she'd find out about Alice. Something I would have to find the courage to tell her. Sometime very soon. I just couldn't work out how to bring the subject up.

I held her hand tightly as I guided her out to the car, having to grab at her waist twice during the short journey when she slipped on patches of ice. Her boots, while good for the rain in Forks, weren't as useful in the snow. There wasn't enough tread on them. I wondered if I should buy her a new pair.

"So, are we leaving now?" she asked as we pulled down the street.

"No. We're still on our date, you know. I have more to show you."

I had memorized the map of the town while she was in the shower, so I drove confidently back to the edge of town we had passed on our way in, making a quick detour into the mall to buy Bella a pillow. I threw a blanket in as well.

"More history," I explained to her as I led her into the museum.

It was small, which was to be expected, but as part of the Montana Dinosaur Trail, had fossils and dinosaur skeletons alongside the historical documents, photos and turn-of-the-century dioramas. It was almost deserted—not many tourists came out at this time of year—so I didn't worry about being overheard when I pointed out some of the everyday items that were on show which I had used as a boy.

"As much as the dresses were pretty and all, I don't think I could have handled living back then," Bella admitted.

"Why not?"

"Corsets? No running water? Being considered property? No thanks."

"I guess," I mused, "if you didn't know any different, you didn't question it. It was normal."

"I guess."

"And anyway, you don't seem to object when I say that you're mine." I smirked at her and leaned in to nuzzle against her neck, breathing in her scent.

"That's different. I have a choice."

"For what it's worth, I think you would have fit in well in my time. You have the right temperament to be quite a great lady."

"I can't tell if that's really a compliment or not."

"It is. Trust me."

She nodded without answering and we finished wandering the exhibits.

"Where to now, my Jasper?"

"Well, a date isn't complete without a meal, is it?"

She shut the car door as she climbed in and looked over at me. "It probably is when one of the participants doesn't eat."

"Regardless, I intend to wine and dine you. Or, well, just dine you."

It was a late lunch, but the restaurant was still fairly busy. Bella just chose a chicken salad and garlic bread fingers, and I ordered some spaghetti, which would be easy to cut up and move around to look like I'd eaten some. As it was, I managed to convince Bella to eat a few bites of the noodles, and the look of pleasure on her face when she tasted the sauce made her look gorgeous. I restrained myself from moving around the table to her.

Bella sighed happily as I paid the bill and we left the restaurant with my arm around her shoulder.

"This was nice."

"It was," I agreed. "Is there anything you want before we get on the road?"

"No. I'll just get a bottle of water at the gas station."

I made sure she was comfortable in her seat with the pillow against the door to rest her head on and hoped that she would be able to sleep once it got dark.

We drove out of town and up a small rise.

"Stop!" Bella called suddenly, and I pulled over to the side of the road.

"What is it, sweetheart? Did we forget something?"

"No," she told me with a grin. "But we need to finish our date."

She grabbed her coat and tugged it on as she stepped out on the grassy verge. I quickly followed her and met her behind the car, confused as to what she meant. Luckily, there didn't seem to be many cars around at this time of the afternoon.

"Come here," she said softly.

I leaned against the trunk and she settled herself into my arms, looking out to where we came. The town slightly below us looked beautiful blanketed in snow. The day was relatively clear, so we could see the sun setting directly in front of us, and lights were coming on in the houses.

"Thank you, Jasper," she said without turning to look at me. She just continued to watch the sun set, its rays making the covering of white on the distant farms sparkle. I could tell that my face and hands—the only parts of me not covered—would be shimmering too. In the low light, it wasn't enough to alert passersby, but the sunset was directly in our eyes, and Bella would notice if she cared to turn around.

"What for?"

"This has been a great day. It made me forget for a while just why we're here in the first place. Both of our dates have been wonderful."

"It's all for you, Bella," I whispered just loud enough for her to hear. "I just want you to be safe and happy."

"I am."

I chuckled quietly. "I think you've been pretty much in danger since the second our paths crossed, actually."

"But it doesn't matter. I feel safe with you. I know that you wouldn't let anything happen to me. And even if I do get hurt, I'd be happy that I just got to spend this time with you. Like… it's all worth it."

I didn't bother correcting her. She knew that I wouldn't let her get hurt, and that I would say that losing her would never be worth it. She squeezed my arms tighter around her waist as the last rays of sunlight spread across the land, and the sky changed slowly from pink to a darker gray.

I felt and heard the deep, shuddering breath that she took as she turned to look at me. Her eyes were glazed, but she wasn't crying. I didn't know why she looked like she was upset when her emotions told me that she was incredibly happy and content. I ignored the other emotion I felt coming from her. I had to be reading it incorrectly.

She reached up and stroked my cheek with the backs of her fingers. The other hand found its way behind my head and played with the ends of my hair.

"Jasper?" She suddenly seemed somewhat uncertain. As if she was scared of what she wanted to say to me.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

Her hair whipped up in the wind, flying around her face, and I collected it into a bunch and held it down, resting my wrists carefully on her shoulders.

I gazed down at her. The light in the sky was fading quickly and her face was aglow, pink from the reflection of the taillights next to us. She was so incredibly beautiful. The view in front of us paled in comparison to how perfect she was.

She bit her lip, looking down for a second, before mentally steeling herself and looking back up at me.

"I—I—." She took a deep breath. "I love you, Jasper."

If vampires could go into shock, I would have worried that was what was happening to me. It took a second for me to comprehend what she had just told me, but then absolute joy flooded through me. She had really said it. She loved me.

I couldn't help the grin that spread across my face. I couldn't even remember to hide my teeth.

"I love you, too, Bella. So much you can't imagine."

"R- really?"

"Completely."

I leaned down and held the back of her head in my hands. I held it like it was the most precious thing in the world. Which, to me, it was. Her head contained everything that made her the Bella I knew. Everything that made me love her.

I took her lips with my own and kissed her softly. It was Bella who pushed more forcefully, and she quickly opened her lips to me.

Absolute bliss. That is what this was. I was kissing the girl I loved. The girl who loved me. The girl for whom I would go to the ends of the earth. Nothing else mattered.

She was mine.

And she loved me.

A/N: Oh yeah, I almost forgot the week's issue of "What I'm reading"... It's an old one. "A Child of the Night", by l'heure bleue.